Last April, Francis Chan, author of the best seller Crazy Love, resigned his position as pastor of Cornerstone Church, a megachurch in Simi Valley, California, which he founded in 1994. According to Chan, God was calling him to “pursue a new adventure.” There was no scandal or coercion involved in his decision—he was following what he described as “a leading from the Lord.”
I was surprised when I heard about Chan’s resignation and watched to see what would develop as a result. What happened next actually surprised me more than the resignation announcement itself. Several of Chan’s peers, also megachurch pastors, openly questioned and criticized his decision to leave the church. These criticisms went something like this:
1. “Everybody thinks you are coco for coco-puffs.” In plain English this insulting comment means, “Are you crazy?”
2. “Why leave when you don’t know what you are going to do?”
3. “Are you establishing a bad pattern that you will repeat again in a few years?”
I watched an interview with Francis Chan, Mark Driscoll (pastor of Mars Hill Church, Seattle) and Joshua Harris (pastor of Covenant Life Church, Gaithersburg, MD). Questions and criticisms came out of this interview, but what I didn’t see was as disturbing to me as what I did see. I didn’t hear anything remotely scriptural to back up suggestions that what Chan was doing was wrong. Secondly, I didn’t hear anything from the critics about seeking the face of God for direction. Instead what I heard was largely, “Well, here’s what I think or believe.”
The prevailing, unspoken statement of criticism of Francis Chan seemed to be: “Why would you step down when you have a thriving church? That can’t be right.”
As I watched the interview and later also read some of the printed material about this matter, I am left with a large reservation about these critics. “I wonder if these men acknowledge God as the Lord of the vineyard” (Luke 20:13).
Is there a biblical precedent for what Chan has done? The answer is yes.
In Acts 11 word reached the church in Jerusalem that something unusual was happening in Antioch. Large numbers of Jews and larger numbers of Gentiles were getting saved and becoming a part of the church. The elders in Jerusalem were concerned about what they heard and sent Barnabas to Antioch to investigate on their behalf.
A brief word about Antioch; it was the third largest city in the entire Roman Empire and an important center of commerce, with more Gentiles than Jews living and doing business there. It was to Antioch that some Christian Jews had fled to escape the persecution in Jerusalem. These Christian Jews interacted in business with the Gentiles and within a short time Gentiles began receiving Christ in greater numbers than Jews. In contemporary language, “a spiritual awakening” had begun. This was a surprising development in the early church and that is what the leaders sent Barnabas to investigate.
Barnabas was delighted at what he saw and he encouraged the Antioch church to be wholehearted in their devotion to the Lord. Barnabas stayed and began to minister to the church, which continued to grow.
After a while Barnabas realized that he needed help in leading this exploding and unique church, and the Holy Spirit brought to his mind a man he had come to know about six years earlier. Saul (we know him as Paul), after his conversion, had only been with the leaders in Jerusalem for a few weeks when the brethren there banished him to his hometown of Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30). Acts 11:25 tells us that Barnabas went to Tarsus, found Paul, and persuaded him to join him in Antioch.
For a year Paul and Barnabas worked to establish the church in Antioch. Paul was the perfect fit for this church: highly educated, a rabbi, a lawyer, and an Old Testament scholar. All this, coupled with his courage and leadership skills and his assertion that God had called him to reach the Gentile world, made Paul a great choice to be involved in organizing and growing the church in Antioch.
We are told that after a year (Acts 13:1-3), the Holy Spirit instructed the church to “release Barnabas and Paul to the work to which I have called them.” So the church did as they had been divinely led: “They fasted and prayed, and placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:3). This is truly the New Testament church in action.
Could Paul have stayed in Antioch and had a great ministry? The answer is yes, he could have. The church in Antioch was very likely the largest church in the world at that time. Some historical writers suggest that the Antioch church could have numbered up to 30,000. What God was doing in Antioch was a microcosm of what He would later do throughout the whole Gentile world. Christianity would stop being a Jewish sect but would be available to all. Paul could have stayed in Antioch and pastored this great church, written books and letters, trained missionaries, and developed the doctrines that fill the pages of his thirteen letters.
So why would Paul step down from this tremendous success and step out into a world of the unknown? Because God told him to! It’s interesting to note that the church in Antioch lost its two top leaders, because Barnabas went with Paul on his missionary adventure. But it still thrived! The church in Antioch had a reliance on the Holy Spirit and His leading that is sadly missing in today’s church.
So, to Francis Chan, ignore the critics and do what God had led you to do. Join Abraham in going out even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8).
Bravo, Francis Chan, bravo!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
BACK ON THE ROAD TO VICTORY
David’s entrance onto the big stage was a surprise to him and everyone else. While delivering supplies to his brothers who were serving in King Saul’s army, David unexpectedly stumbled into the classic “David versus Goliath” battle. His victory over the giant made him an instant hero in the eyes of the Jewish nation, but when his fame surpassed that of King Saul, he knew he had a problem. The king was a violent man and his jealousy turned to hatred and attempted murder. David’s flashy entrance quickly became a seven-year trial during which time his character was formed and he went from being a cliché-spouting, quasi-Christian to becoming a man of God.
During his years of running and hiding, the pressure on David was relentless. 1 Samuel 23:14 says, “Saul sought him every day.” Three thousand battle-hardened mercenaries were sent to find and kill the upstart and while David was not yet the man of God he would become, his character was being formed in the furnace of affliction. David’s inexperience under such profound pressure caused him to make mistakes, one of which was to compromise and enter the enemy territory of self-reliance.
Hounded by Saul’s warriors, David crossed over into the land of the Philistines and lied in an attempt to get into their good graces. 1 Samuel 27:4 tells us that when Saul heard about David’s crossing over, he called off his army. It seemed that the pressure was off David— or was it? David had crossed a line into the enemy’s camp; he had crossed the line of compromise. 1 Samuel 27:1-2 exposes the heart of David’s failure at this time: “David thought to himself…the best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines.” When David crossed the line and stopped trusting God for everything, and decided to take things into his own hands, he began to see what a lie he was living. The lying and compromise had only begun and the pressure from which he sought relief continued.
One of the great concerns I have about the church today is the tremendous emphasis being put upon self-confidence, self-reliance. Let me say this as directly as I can. When we enter into the realm of self-reliance or when self-confidence becomes too large a part of our Christian experience, we can count on the strength and wisdom of heaven departing just as it did in David’s case. How does the emergence of self-reliance show up in the church? Trust me, this is not rocket science. When there is a descending or nonexistent value placed on prayer (private and corporate), self-reliance and self-confidence have taken its place and the strength and wisdom of heaven has departed. And this is the way it is in much of the church today.
David’s self-will caused him to enter into a life of deceit. Some of the Philistines believed his glib song and dance routine but most didn’t. One of the Philistine kings gave David the city of Ziklag for the home of his army and it was from there that David and his men went out raiding to get provisions to support their families. The Philistines thought David was raiding in Jewish territory and he lied to them and said he was, but he actually was raiding nomadic tribes that were not friends of the Jews or Philistines. Self-reliance leads one to a life of compromise.
David and his men returned home after a raid and found their city burned to the ground. Their families had been taken captive by the Amalekites (1 Samuel 29) and the men were devastated, heartbroken. They wept aloud over the tragedy—the Bible says they wept until they had no strength left to weep. In their deep distress, the warriors became angry at David and spoke of killing him and David finally came to his senses. He reached rock bottom and realized what his compromise had done…but he got back on the road to victory!
“David encouraged himself in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6). I think we put the wrong spin on this statement. We tend to view this as David reminding himself of all the good things God had done for him and then he was built up and encouraged. While I am sure that eventually happened, the first thing David had to do to get back on the victory road was get back in right relationship with God. The word encourage means “to make sure, make strong, to repair something that has been broken.” That happened when “David inquired of the Lord” (30:8). David dropped the presumption of self-will, acknowledged his failure, and in humility asked God what he should do. God quickly answered His heartbroken child and when David put his hand in his Father’s hand, he was saying, “I can’t do this on my own. I’ve tried and failed. Look at the mess I’m in. Father, lead me to victory!”
The rest of the story is triumphant. God gave David and his men the direction they needed to get back on the road to victory. They got their families, their possessions, and more back from the Amalekites and David went on to become the greatest warrior king in the history of Israel.
Mark well what I am about to say. Within two days of David’s returning from his successful expedition to recover all that had been lost, word reached David that Saul was dead. Coincidence? I think not! The road to victory was solidified for David when he humbled himself and inquired of the Lord. God then had David’s tormentor removed and David went on to do what God had called him to.
Important to finding and staying on the road to victory is dealing with the presumption of self-will. Until you can freely pray, “Not my will but thine be done,” as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, you will find the road to victory elusive and the wisdom and strength of heaven a faint memory.
During his years of running and hiding, the pressure on David was relentless. 1 Samuel 23:14 says, “Saul sought him every day.” Three thousand battle-hardened mercenaries were sent to find and kill the upstart and while David was not yet the man of God he would become, his character was being formed in the furnace of affliction. David’s inexperience under such profound pressure caused him to make mistakes, one of which was to compromise and enter the enemy territory of self-reliance.
Hounded by Saul’s warriors, David crossed over into the land of the Philistines and lied in an attempt to get into their good graces. 1 Samuel 27:4 tells us that when Saul heard about David’s crossing over, he called off his army. It seemed that the pressure was off David— or was it? David had crossed a line into the enemy’s camp; he had crossed the line of compromise. 1 Samuel 27:1-2 exposes the heart of David’s failure at this time: “David thought to himself…the best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines.” When David crossed the line and stopped trusting God for everything, and decided to take things into his own hands, he began to see what a lie he was living. The lying and compromise had only begun and the pressure from which he sought relief continued.
One of the great concerns I have about the church today is the tremendous emphasis being put upon self-confidence, self-reliance. Let me say this as directly as I can. When we enter into the realm of self-reliance or when self-confidence becomes too large a part of our Christian experience, we can count on the strength and wisdom of heaven departing just as it did in David’s case. How does the emergence of self-reliance show up in the church? Trust me, this is not rocket science. When there is a descending or nonexistent value placed on prayer (private and corporate), self-reliance and self-confidence have taken its place and the strength and wisdom of heaven has departed. And this is the way it is in much of the church today.
David’s self-will caused him to enter into a life of deceit. Some of the Philistines believed his glib song and dance routine but most didn’t. One of the Philistine kings gave David the city of Ziklag for the home of his army and it was from there that David and his men went out raiding to get provisions to support their families. The Philistines thought David was raiding in Jewish territory and he lied to them and said he was, but he actually was raiding nomadic tribes that were not friends of the Jews or Philistines. Self-reliance leads one to a life of compromise.
David and his men returned home after a raid and found their city burned to the ground. Their families had been taken captive by the Amalekites (1 Samuel 29) and the men were devastated, heartbroken. They wept aloud over the tragedy—the Bible says they wept until they had no strength left to weep. In their deep distress, the warriors became angry at David and spoke of killing him and David finally came to his senses. He reached rock bottom and realized what his compromise had done…but he got back on the road to victory!
“David encouraged himself in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6). I think we put the wrong spin on this statement. We tend to view this as David reminding himself of all the good things God had done for him and then he was built up and encouraged. While I am sure that eventually happened, the first thing David had to do to get back on the victory road was get back in right relationship with God. The word encourage means “to make sure, make strong, to repair something that has been broken.” That happened when “David inquired of the Lord” (30:8). David dropped the presumption of self-will, acknowledged his failure, and in humility asked God what he should do. God quickly answered His heartbroken child and when David put his hand in his Father’s hand, he was saying, “I can’t do this on my own. I’ve tried and failed. Look at the mess I’m in. Father, lead me to victory!”
The rest of the story is triumphant. God gave David and his men the direction they needed to get back on the road to victory. They got their families, their possessions, and more back from the Amalekites and David went on to become the greatest warrior king in the history of Israel.
Mark well what I am about to say. Within two days of David’s returning from his successful expedition to recover all that had been lost, word reached David that Saul was dead. Coincidence? I think not! The road to victory was solidified for David when he humbled himself and inquired of the Lord. God then had David’s tormentor removed and David went on to do what God had called him to.
Important to finding and staying on the road to victory is dealing with the presumption of self-will. Until you can freely pray, “Not my will but thine be done,” as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, you will find the road to victory elusive and the wisdom and strength of heaven a faint memory.
Friday, December 17, 2010
I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE GOD HEALS TODAY!
I don’t plan to write many additional blogs about my health challenge—no need to burden others—but I decided to let you know we are making progress. And I wanted to share that I have not fallen under the bus of depression or self-pity. So thank you for your continued prayers!
If you’re totally ignorant of the procedures involved in chemo/radiation (as I was), let me give you a brief update and overview. I’m completing my second week of treatment—two down, five to go, with a few days off over the holidays. Monday is chemo day so I arrive at the oncology center early, meet with the oncologist, have blood work done, get weighed, etc. Then on to the infusion room, which is a large, open space lined with about 12 recliner-type chairs occupied by patients of varying ages. On my first day, armed with my laptop, Bible and latest David Baldacci novel, I chose my chair in a corner by the window. The nurses attached what would be the first of several bags of hydration fluids and chemotherapy drugs (via medi-port in my chest), and I settled in for a long day. Oh joy!
I repeat this process every Monday and although it’s painless, it can get a little tedious because of the long hours of sitting. There are television sets scattered around the room with available earphones but who wants to watch daytime TV?
There are some really interesting folks in the infusion room. Jerry, the man sitting next to me, was reading a book on Galatians when I sat down my first day. I immediately commented on the book and we had a delightful conversation about Galatians, the Bible, and church in general.
A lady came in for an infusion accompanied by two friends who pulled up chairs to form a little circle around her. I noticed they were having a Bible study and one of the friends, obviously the leader, was a colorful study herself. She looked as though she could have come right off the stage of the Grand Ole Opry of old—long, blonde, big hair; satiny dress; vivid make-up. Only in Texas, folks! But they love the Lord and were unashamed in their witness!
People came and went all day, some with their own private entourage of four or five people. Just so you understand, that’s not the way it happened with me. Carol dropped me off at the front door of the clinic at 8:30 and with a wave said, “I’m going to the mall—see you about three o’clock.” John Wayne walked into the clinic muttering something about “pilgrims.” Some of you reading this don’t know me so you don’t know when I’m joking. Trust me when I tell you that what I just said is a really bad joke and my wife will make me pay!
About 2:30 the radiation technician came and off I went, chemo IV pole and all, into the radiation room. There they place a mask on my face that’s been marked in order to be precise with the radiation beams. The mask had been made previously by warming plastic mesh and forming it to my face. They clip it down to hold my head steady (think Freddy Krueger).
Everything is computerized and after I’m on the table, the computer goes to work above my head. For about 15 minutes all I hear is the whine and whir of the machinery and an occasional click—and then it’s over.
So, I have chemo every Monday and radiation Monday through Friday. So far the side effects have been minimal. Fatigue is probably the hardest to deal with at this point. I try to keep a semblance of a schedule but I quickly run out of energy and have had to put some of my ministry assignments on hold for now. Very little nausea, however, and for that I am grateful.
Spiritually I feel great. A few mornings ago I was praying and suddenly was overtaken by the presence of the Lord. I realized that some of my friends were in prayer for me right at that moment. It was powerful—and I thank you!
Every day I continue to talk with the Lord about healing and, of course, I have questions for Him. “Why me?” and “Why am I not instantly healed?” And every day my Father takes me by the hand and leads me through the day. If God’s leading will not get me to healing then I’ll never get there.
Ultimate healing is to be where He wants me to be, when He wants me to be there. When He says He will lead us and we put our hand in His, honestly now, where do you think He is going to take us? Do you think He will lead us into depression, sickness or disease? No! He is leading us to wholeness and health—which may not come instantly but it will come! However, when it comes is not our call.
I absolutely and without equivocation believe that God heals the sick today just as He did when Jesus was alive. But I must confess that at times I get a little irritated by some of the silliness that surrounds the message of healing and health. In a month or so I’m going to write a little on what the Bible affirms about healing, debunk a few myths, and generally give the devil, sickness and disease a black eye.
We are on the road to victory!
If you’re totally ignorant of the procedures involved in chemo/radiation (as I was), let me give you a brief update and overview. I’m completing my second week of treatment—two down, five to go, with a few days off over the holidays. Monday is chemo day so I arrive at the oncology center early, meet with the oncologist, have blood work done, get weighed, etc. Then on to the infusion room, which is a large, open space lined with about 12 recliner-type chairs occupied by patients of varying ages. On my first day, armed with my laptop, Bible and latest David Baldacci novel, I chose my chair in a corner by the window. The nurses attached what would be the first of several bags of hydration fluids and chemotherapy drugs (via medi-port in my chest), and I settled in for a long day. Oh joy!
I repeat this process every Monday and although it’s painless, it can get a little tedious because of the long hours of sitting. There are television sets scattered around the room with available earphones but who wants to watch daytime TV?
There are some really interesting folks in the infusion room. Jerry, the man sitting next to me, was reading a book on Galatians when I sat down my first day. I immediately commented on the book and we had a delightful conversation about Galatians, the Bible, and church in general.
A lady came in for an infusion accompanied by two friends who pulled up chairs to form a little circle around her. I noticed they were having a Bible study and one of the friends, obviously the leader, was a colorful study herself. She looked as though she could have come right off the stage of the Grand Ole Opry of old—long, blonde, big hair; satiny dress; vivid make-up. Only in Texas, folks! But they love the Lord and were unashamed in their witness!
People came and went all day, some with their own private entourage of four or five people. Just so you understand, that’s not the way it happened with me. Carol dropped me off at the front door of the clinic at 8:30 and with a wave said, “I’m going to the mall—see you about three o’clock.” John Wayne walked into the clinic muttering something about “pilgrims.” Some of you reading this don’t know me so you don’t know when I’m joking. Trust me when I tell you that what I just said is a really bad joke and my wife will make me pay!
About 2:30 the radiation technician came and off I went, chemo IV pole and all, into the radiation room. There they place a mask on my face that’s been marked in order to be precise with the radiation beams. The mask had been made previously by warming plastic mesh and forming it to my face. They clip it down to hold my head steady (think Freddy Krueger).
Everything is computerized and after I’m on the table, the computer goes to work above my head. For about 15 minutes all I hear is the whine and whir of the machinery and an occasional click—and then it’s over.
So, I have chemo every Monday and radiation Monday through Friday. So far the side effects have been minimal. Fatigue is probably the hardest to deal with at this point. I try to keep a semblance of a schedule but I quickly run out of energy and have had to put some of my ministry assignments on hold for now. Very little nausea, however, and for that I am grateful.
Spiritually I feel great. A few mornings ago I was praying and suddenly was overtaken by the presence of the Lord. I realized that some of my friends were in prayer for me right at that moment. It was powerful—and I thank you!
Every day I continue to talk with the Lord about healing and, of course, I have questions for Him. “Why me?” and “Why am I not instantly healed?” And every day my Father takes me by the hand and leads me through the day. If God’s leading will not get me to healing then I’ll never get there.
Ultimate healing is to be where He wants me to be, when He wants me to be there. When He says He will lead us and we put our hand in His, honestly now, where do you think He is going to take us? Do you think He will lead us into depression, sickness or disease? No! He is leading us to wholeness and health—which may not come instantly but it will come! However, when it comes is not our call.
I absolutely and without equivocation believe that God heals the sick today just as He did when Jesus was alive. But I must confess that at times I get a little irritated by some of the silliness that surrounds the message of healing and health. In a month or so I’m going to write a little on what the Bible affirms about healing, debunk a few myths, and generally give the devil, sickness and disease a black eye.
We are on the road to victory!
Friday, December 10, 2010
MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS
Mountaintop vistas are etched into the human psyche as a symbol of triumph. When confronted with a problem/challenge, it is common to respond with chest-thumping bravado and proclaim, “I’ll climb that mountain!” The whole world celebrated when the highest mountain in the world finally succumbed to the skills of adventurer Sir Edmond Hillary.
I think it is natural that we talk about mountaintop experiences as being essentially positive. In contrast would be the valley experiences, which are tended to be viewed as essentially negative. We talk about being “down” in contrast to being “up.”
All this is great rhetoric for motivational speeches and inspirational books but not so great when it comes to teaching us to actually live a productive and victorious life as a Christian.
The mountaintop is a great place to visit; the views are magnificent, but frankly the top of the Colorado Rockies is not a great place to live. When Hillary finally triumphed over the treacherous Everest and planted his feet on the highest peak in the world, he took a look around, stayed just a few minutes, and began the descent back to real life. He had not come to the mountaintop to stay, just to visit. A city is almost never located at the top of a mountain. The corridors of life are almost always built in a valley or on the plains that lead up to the mountains.
Valleys are the places of everyday life. They are the places where most of the fruit of life is grown and harvested, where battles are won and lost, where most of life is lived. None of us really derive the character qualities God desires for our lives while we are on the mountain. It’s in the valley where fruit is planted, nurtured and harvested. In the valley, it is more difficult to see ahead; the clouds often cover the valley and limit our sight. It’s in the valley that we learn to live and walk by faith.
Whenever we stand on the mountain, we are able to see clearly. It is the best vantage point from which to view what lies ahead. God allows us the mountaintop experience at times, so go to the mountaintop whenever you can, clear your head, look into the future, and enjoy the grand vista. But remember that the fullness of your life is not there; we go to the mountains so that we can cross them and continue our journey of faith.
Our God is the God of the mountains and the valleys. Real life is the continual experience of having “ups and downs.” Those who teach that all of the spiritual life is only an “up” experience are seriously misguided.
In 1 Kings 20:23 an enemy army brought an accusation against Israel, and especially against God, when they said, “Their gods are gods of the hills.” The enemy leaders then went on to say, “If we can fight them on the plains, we can destroy them!”
Why would they say something like that? They were not members of the Jewish faith, so what would lead them to that particular observation and accusation?
Could it be that they had observed the Jewish people living excitedly for God when things were going well, when victory over enemies had been achieved, when life was good and they were “up”? Could it be that the Amereans (the enemy) also saw Israel when things were “down” and observed them struggling, grumbling, complaining and generally not living for God? And so the enemy came with a brutal accusation: “You have a good-time god! Your god is a god of the mountain because the only time you worship and live righteously is when things are going well and you are ‘up.’ Your god is a god of the mountain and not the valley because you sure don’t live for him when you are ‘down.’”
God sent an unnamed prophet to the king of Israel with a message, “Because the Amareans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands and you will know that I am the Lord” (1 Kings 20:28).
The message was not for the enemy, it was for God’s people! The message was for God’s people to know that “I am the Lord.” He is the Lord of the mountains and the valleys—He is the Lord of all of life’s experiences—He is the Lord!
The Psalmist David understood this principle well! David had an up-and-down life and perhaps that’s why his writings are so beloved. He wrote about both the mountaintop and valley experiences. One of his valley statements was, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME…” (Psalm 23:4).
He’s the God of the mountains and the valley; He is our God, and whether we are “up” or “down” He is always with us! He is the Lord!
I think it is natural that we talk about mountaintop experiences as being essentially positive. In contrast would be the valley experiences, which are tended to be viewed as essentially negative. We talk about being “down” in contrast to being “up.”
All this is great rhetoric for motivational speeches and inspirational books but not so great when it comes to teaching us to actually live a productive and victorious life as a Christian.
The mountaintop is a great place to visit; the views are magnificent, but frankly the top of the Colorado Rockies is not a great place to live. When Hillary finally triumphed over the treacherous Everest and planted his feet on the highest peak in the world, he took a look around, stayed just a few minutes, and began the descent back to real life. He had not come to the mountaintop to stay, just to visit. A city is almost never located at the top of a mountain. The corridors of life are almost always built in a valley or on the plains that lead up to the mountains.
Valleys are the places of everyday life. They are the places where most of the fruit of life is grown and harvested, where battles are won and lost, where most of life is lived. None of us really derive the character qualities God desires for our lives while we are on the mountain. It’s in the valley where fruit is planted, nurtured and harvested. In the valley, it is more difficult to see ahead; the clouds often cover the valley and limit our sight. It’s in the valley that we learn to live and walk by faith.
Whenever we stand on the mountain, we are able to see clearly. It is the best vantage point from which to view what lies ahead. God allows us the mountaintop experience at times, so go to the mountaintop whenever you can, clear your head, look into the future, and enjoy the grand vista. But remember that the fullness of your life is not there; we go to the mountains so that we can cross them and continue our journey of faith.
Our God is the God of the mountains and the valleys. Real life is the continual experience of having “ups and downs.” Those who teach that all of the spiritual life is only an “up” experience are seriously misguided.
In 1 Kings 20:23 an enemy army brought an accusation against Israel, and especially against God, when they said, “Their gods are gods of the hills.” The enemy leaders then went on to say, “If we can fight them on the plains, we can destroy them!”
Why would they say something like that? They were not members of the Jewish faith, so what would lead them to that particular observation and accusation?
Could it be that they had observed the Jewish people living excitedly for God when things were going well, when victory over enemies had been achieved, when life was good and they were “up”? Could it be that the Amereans (the enemy) also saw Israel when things were “down” and observed them struggling, grumbling, complaining and generally not living for God? And so the enemy came with a brutal accusation: “You have a good-time god! Your god is a god of the mountain because the only time you worship and live righteously is when things are going well and you are ‘up.’ Your god is a god of the mountain and not the valley because you sure don’t live for him when you are ‘down.’”
God sent an unnamed prophet to the king of Israel with a message, “Because the Amareans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands and you will know that I am the Lord” (1 Kings 20:28).
The message was not for the enemy, it was for God’s people! The message was for God’s people to know that “I am the Lord.” He is the Lord of the mountains and the valleys—He is the Lord of all of life’s experiences—He is the Lord!
The Psalmist David understood this principle well! David had an up-and-down life and perhaps that’s why his writings are so beloved. He wrote about both the mountaintop and valley experiences. One of his valley statements was, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME…” (Psalm 23:4).
He’s the God of the mountains and the valley; He is our God, and whether we are “up” or “down” He is always with us! He is the Lord!
Friday, December 3, 2010
BUT NOW, THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS!
It was more than difficult to sit in the medical office listening to the treatment plan and being advised of the difficulties and pain of the weeks ahead. To have medical professionals describe the cancerous tumor on my neck as difficult to deal with because of its location was not greatly encouraging. All in all, it was a painful and discouraging hour.
About seven or eight weeks ago I discovered a swelling on the left side of my neck right along the jaw in the lymph gland area. After a couple of trips to the doctor, treatment by antibiotics, a CT Scan and a needle biopsy, my doctor called to tell me that the growth was cancerous. That set off a whole string of other doctors getting involved. Suddenly I had a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, an ear-nose-throat surgeon, and I had more scans and additional biopsies taken from my throat and tongue. I can heartily recommend that you not have your tonsils removed at my age! That procedure opened up a door of pain and discomfort that I have not experienced before.
Before Carol and I sat down with the radiation oncologist’s staff to hear them lay out for us the treatment plan and fully explain what would be involved, we prepared ourselves both spiritually and medically for what was to come.
Spiritually we have taken our stand for healing. We both believe that God heals the sick and our foundational healing Scriptures are Isaiah 53:4-5 and Psalm 91:1-3. We had the elders of our church anoint me with oil and pray for healing; we have enlisted an army of family and friends to stand with us in prayer and faith; and every day I cry out to God for healing. I know that the Lord has not given this infirmity to me and I also know that He has not, at this time, taken it from me. I understand that right now this is the “deep water” I am to walk through and I am at peace.
On the medical side the Lord has supernaturally led us to some of the very best cancer specialists in this area. The doors have opened for almost immediate appointments and the care has been incredible.
All through the process I knew the doctors were not telling us everything about the level of difficulty and the side effects of the treatment. I can tell when someone is holding something back but eventually most of that came out. The radiation nurse told us, “I wish I could tell you different but the last couple of weeks of treatment are going to be hellish. The pain and soreness in the neck and throat is going to build up until you won’t want to eat or drink anything because it will just be too painful.”
It was a sober drive home and in the SUV Carol reminded me of a passage of Scripture that I had shared with our daughter Leslie the day before. I had printed out a copy of Isaiah 43 and it was sitting on my desk when I got home. The passage reads like God participated in the conversation in the doctor’s office and He was now having the final word.
“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you….he who formed you…. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you…you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God…you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you…do not be afraid, for I am with you…" (Isaiah 43:1-5 NIV).
I am not writing this blog post to elicit pity or sympathy…frankly I don’t want either. I have prepared this because some of you, like me, are going through your own deep waters, your own fires of tribulation, and a few of you are about ready to give up. His promise to you is the same as it is to me: “You are mine…you are precious and honored in my sight…I love you…do not be afraid!”
We do go through treacherous experiences but He will be with us to protect and keep us. We will pass through rivers of trouble and pain that will threaten to overwhelm us but He will not allow that to happen—His hand will restrain the destruction. We will go through fires of temptation and affliction; we’ll feel the heat but we will not be burned nor will we be destroyed.
I love God more today than I ever have in my life. I trust Him and because I am passing through deep waters doesn’t mean that somehow I have failed Him or that I am lacking in faith. It means I am passing through deep waters and He will show Himself strong on my behalf.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (Jesus to the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:9).
“For when I am weak, then I am strong” (Paul’s declaration, 2 Corinthians 12:10).
About seven or eight weeks ago I discovered a swelling on the left side of my neck right along the jaw in the lymph gland area. After a couple of trips to the doctor, treatment by antibiotics, a CT Scan and a needle biopsy, my doctor called to tell me that the growth was cancerous. That set off a whole string of other doctors getting involved. Suddenly I had a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, an ear-nose-throat surgeon, and I had more scans and additional biopsies taken from my throat and tongue. I can heartily recommend that you not have your tonsils removed at my age! That procedure opened up a door of pain and discomfort that I have not experienced before.
Before Carol and I sat down with the radiation oncologist’s staff to hear them lay out for us the treatment plan and fully explain what would be involved, we prepared ourselves both spiritually and medically for what was to come.
Spiritually we have taken our stand for healing. We both believe that God heals the sick and our foundational healing Scriptures are Isaiah 53:4-5 and Psalm 91:1-3. We had the elders of our church anoint me with oil and pray for healing; we have enlisted an army of family and friends to stand with us in prayer and faith; and every day I cry out to God for healing. I know that the Lord has not given this infirmity to me and I also know that He has not, at this time, taken it from me. I understand that right now this is the “deep water” I am to walk through and I am at peace.
On the medical side the Lord has supernaturally led us to some of the very best cancer specialists in this area. The doors have opened for almost immediate appointments and the care has been incredible.
All through the process I knew the doctors were not telling us everything about the level of difficulty and the side effects of the treatment. I can tell when someone is holding something back but eventually most of that came out. The radiation nurse told us, “I wish I could tell you different but the last couple of weeks of treatment are going to be hellish. The pain and soreness in the neck and throat is going to build up until you won’t want to eat or drink anything because it will just be too painful.”
It was a sober drive home and in the SUV Carol reminded me of a passage of Scripture that I had shared with our daughter Leslie the day before. I had printed out a copy of Isaiah 43 and it was sitting on my desk when I got home. The passage reads like God participated in the conversation in the doctor’s office and He was now having the final word.
“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you….he who formed you…. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you…you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God…you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you…do not be afraid, for I am with you…" (Isaiah 43:1-5 NIV).
I am not writing this blog post to elicit pity or sympathy…frankly I don’t want either. I have prepared this because some of you, like me, are going through your own deep waters, your own fires of tribulation, and a few of you are about ready to give up. His promise to you is the same as it is to me: “You are mine…you are precious and honored in my sight…I love you…do not be afraid!”
We do go through treacherous experiences but He will be with us to protect and keep us. We will pass through rivers of trouble and pain that will threaten to overwhelm us but He will not allow that to happen—His hand will restrain the destruction. We will go through fires of temptation and affliction; we’ll feel the heat but we will not be burned nor will we be destroyed.
I love God more today than I ever have in my life. I trust Him and because I am passing through deep waters doesn’t mean that somehow I have failed Him or that I am lacking in faith. It means I am passing through deep waters and He will show Himself strong on my behalf.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (Jesus to the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:9).
“For when I am weak, then I am strong” (Paul’s declaration, 2 Corinthians 12:10).
Friday, November 26, 2010
STAND AND WALK!
November 27, 2010
For my family
April 20, 2006
STAND AND WALK!
A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday evening, we watched the Disney classic movie “Bambi” with Faith. It was a fun experience for Grandpapa to watch his little granddaughter enjoy (and for a few minutes be scared by) scenes in this classic film. Thumper was amused, too, as Bambi tried to stand on shaky, spindly legs.
In most of creation, all two- and four-legged creatures have to learn to stand before they can walk. And then they have to learn to walk before they can run, jump, play and generally live life as they were destined to do. Think of it as going through stages.
The nature of the creation is to allow time for the young to mature to the point that they are ready to be on their own. This morning I saw the ducks in the lake beside our house; it has been fascinating to watch them grow from little fuzz balls about the size of my fist to be nearly the size of their parents. All during this growing process, mom and dad duck have maintained a vigilant watch over their little ones. Now as the children are becoming more mature and getting ready to go out on their own, mom and dad seem to be less visible; still around, but not nearly as close as before.
Babies crawl before they walk. One day they suddenly pull themselves up on a chair or a sofa or a coffee table and start standing for the first time. No steps yet but they are beginning the process and this is a milestone moment. Stage one is about to morph into stage two.
The great creation we live in is God’s creation. God created everything in nature and the processes that guide it. There are many parallels between the way things are done in the natural world and the way things are done in the spiritual world. It is true in the spiritual that before we can walk as a believer we need to learn to stand as a believer. Once we have learned to stand, to find out who were are in Christ, we can really learn then to grow and mature, and once we begin to walk in Christ, we can do service for Him and do exploits on His behalf. It is imperative that before we move from stage one to stage two, we have had the time and the desire to explore stage one; otherwise, Thumper is going to laugh at us as we try to walk on shaky, spindly, underdeveloped legs.
To stand means to know who I am in Christ. It means that not only do I know who I am, but I begin to understand all that is available to me as a believer, as a follower of the Christ. In some ways it is a life-long pursuit to explore stage one.
To walk means to begin to live out this life; we begin to find our destiny, our calling, what our life’s work will be and how all this flows together. Again, in some ways we never get fully past stage two.
I have been reading a lot recently in Ephesians. I find Ephesians to be both very comfortable and extremely profound. It is one of those books that welcomes you to read it but is somewhat mystifying in its meaning (but maybe that’s just me). I divide the book of Ephesians into two sections. Chapters one through three are about the believer and his/her position in Christ; chapters four through six are about the believer beginning to walk in his/her life’s calling.
Stage One Living!
Ephesians 1:3 (Amplified Bible)
May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!
The spiritual blessings of being in Christ are many but they include being chosen, adopted into God’s family, made joint heirs with Jesus, forgiven, and the wonderful list goes on and on.
Stage Two Living!
Ephesians 4:1 (New International Version)
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
Worthy means that we acknowledge the awesome work that Christ has done on our behalf. We value this great work and live our lives in such a way as to show that we give open acknowledgement to Christ’s work in us.
Stage Three Living!
This is being written by our lives right now! If we have learned how to stand and learned how to walk, then we can learn how to live our lives to the fullest for Christ. Paul finishes Ephesians with the statement in 6:20: “I am an ambassador in chains.” Paul was in prison as he wrote this book. An ambassador was a representative of the ruling authority and would have been chosen from the ranks of mature, experienced men or women. To be an ambassador for Christ means that we have learned to stand and to walk…and then we are ready to represent Him.
I love you! Have a great week!
Dad
For my family
April 20, 2006
STAND AND WALK!
A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday evening, we watched the Disney classic movie “Bambi” with Faith. It was a fun experience for Grandpapa to watch his little granddaughter enjoy (and for a few minutes be scared by) scenes in this classic film. Thumper was amused, too, as Bambi tried to stand on shaky, spindly legs.
In most of creation, all two- and four-legged creatures have to learn to stand before they can walk. And then they have to learn to walk before they can run, jump, play and generally live life as they were destined to do. Think of it as going through stages.
The nature of the creation is to allow time for the young to mature to the point that they are ready to be on their own. This morning I saw the ducks in the lake beside our house; it has been fascinating to watch them grow from little fuzz balls about the size of my fist to be nearly the size of their parents. All during this growing process, mom and dad duck have maintained a vigilant watch over their little ones. Now as the children are becoming more mature and getting ready to go out on their own, mom and dad seem to be less visible; still around, but not nearly as close as before.
Babies crawl before they walk. One day they suddenly pull themselves up on a chair or a sofa or a coffee table and start standing for the first time. No steps yet but they are beginning the process and this is a milestone moment. Stage one is about to morph into stage two.
The great creation we live in is God’s creation. God created everything in nature and the processes that guide it. There are many parallels between the way things are done in the natural world and the way things are done in the spiritual world. It is true in the spiritual that before we can walk as a believer we need to learn to stand as a believer. Once we have learned to stand, to find out who were are in Christ, we can really learn then to grow and mature, and once we begin to walk in Christ, we can do service for Him and do exploits on His behalf. It is imperative that before we move from stage one to stage two, we have had the time and the desire to explore stage one; otherwise, Thumper is going to laugh at us as we try to walk on shaky, spindly, underdeveloped legs.
To stand means to know who I am in Christ. It means that not only do I know who I am, but I begin to understand all that is available to me as a believer, as a follower of the Christ. In some ways it is a life-long pursuit to explore stage one.
To walk means to begin to live out this life; we begin to find our destiny, our calling, what our life’s work will be and how all this flows together. Again, in some ways we never get fully past stage two.
I have been reading a lot recently in Ephesians. I find Ephesians to be both very comfortable and extremely profound. It is one of those books that welcomes you to read it but is somewhat mystifying in its meaning (but maybe that’s just me). I divide the book of Ephesians into two sections. Chapters one through three are about the believer and his/her position in Christ; chapters four through six are about the believer beginning to walk in his/her life’s calling.
Stage One Living!
Ephesians 1:3 (Amplified Bible)
May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!
The spiritual blessings of being in Christ are many but they include being chosen, adopted into God’s family, made joint heirs with Jesus, forgiven, and the wonderful list goes on and on.
Stage Two Living!
Ephesians 4:1 (New International Version)
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
Worthy means that we acknowledge the awesome work that Christ has done on our behalf. We value this great work and live our lives in such a way as to show that we give open acknowledgement to Christ’s work in us.
Stage Three Living!
This is being written by our lives right now! If we have learned how to stand and learned how to walk, then we can learn how to live our lives to the fullest for Christ. Paul finishes Ephesians with the statement in 6:20: “I am an ambassador in chains.” Paul was in prison as he wrote this book. An ambassador was a representative of the ruling authority and would have been chosen from the ranks of mature, experienced men or women. To be an ambassador for Christ means that we have learned to stand and to walk…and then we are ready to represent Him.
I love you! Have a great week!
Dad
Friday, November 19, 2010
ELISHA'S PRAYER REVISITED
“Strike this people [these attackers], I pray, with blindness” (2 Kings 6:18).
A few weeks ago a friend called to ask Carol and me to join in praying about a kidnapping situation in northern Mexico very close to the U.S. border. Our friend is in relationship with a large ministry presence in one of the cities near the border. On the day of the phone call, a leadership meeting had just concluded and as the participants were leaving, two black SUV’s pulled up and machine gun-toting men jumped out. The gunmen grabbed one of the children of the staff leaders, pushed him into the SUV, and sped off. A short time later one of the kidnappers called the ministry office and demanded $180,000 before sundown or they were going to kill the child.
An emergency call for prayer went out to churches and ministries across the U.S. and Mexico. One of the calls was to our friend who in turn called and asked us to pray with them. Carol and I immediately began to pray together over this dangerous situation. As we prayed I felt very strongly that we should pray what Elisha did in 2 Kings 6:18. After our prayer time I called my friend to tell him about my impression of the importance of praying this prayer.
In Mexico the kidnappers called a second time, demanding to know how the parents were doing in getting the ransom money together. The father frantically replied that they just didn’t have that kind of money and couldn’t get it. The kidnapper exploded in anger and again threatened to kill the boy if their demands were not met before the deadline.
My friend told me later that right after my call to him about Elisha's prayer, he contacted the staff in Mexico and told them about 2 Kings 6:18. The staff member told him that they had received the same Scripture from another prayer partner and they were praying that prayer.
A few hours later, my friend called me to say that the kidnappers had called the parents about one hour before the deadline. They said that they were sorry, they had made a mistake and they were putting the child in a cab and sending him back to the ministry. Praise God for answered prayer!
On May 21, 2010, I posted an article about Elisha’s prayer when the Syrians attempted to capture him. Elisha’s servant saw the enemy army first and reacted in fear, crying out, “Oh, my lord, what are we going to do?” (2 Kings 6:15). (You can reread the original article by going to May in the archives that are listed on the left side of this blog page.)
And then Elisha did something that I want you to take special note of. He prayed for supernatural eyesight to come on his servant so that he could see the army of God. Elisha prayed and the servant saw the host of heaven (the horses and fiery chariots) that cannot be seen by the natural eye.
Not only did Elisha pray for his servant’s eyes to open, but he prayed blindness on the attacking Syrians. This was not physical blindness but mental confusion and bewilderment. Suddenly, confusion reigned in the ranks of the Syrians and they didn’t know where they were or who they were supposed to be capturing.
Again, this is an important point of understanding for us. When the enemy comes at us with overwhelming force, pray Elisha’s prayer: “Strike this people [these attackers], I pray, with blindness” (6:18). And He will do for us what he did for Elisha!
The rest of the story is almost humorous. The confused Syrians lost sight (pun intended) of whom they were to attack and capture. Elisha talked to them and they had no idea who he was. He told them that the man they were looking for was down the road and they should follow him for he would take them where they needed to be. Elisha then led them down the road right into the camp of the king of Israel. About this time the Syrians’ blindness lifted and they saw that instead of them surrounding Elisha, they were actually encircled by the Jewish army (vv. 19-22).
What happened toward the end of the incident in Mexico has a rather humorous ending, as well. Not only did the kidnappers call and apologize for what they had done but they put the kidnap victim in a taxi cab…and actually paid the cab fare back to the ministry headquarters.
I believe we are moving into even more dangerous days than we have previously seen. The recent elections here in the U.S. only prove the volatility of the political arena. The economic conditions of the world continue to disintegrate and evil activity continues to increase on every front. As the storms increase and the attacks come suddenly upon us in the coming days, we are to expect God to do the supernatural on our behalf.
“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, (put your name here), he who formed you, (your name): “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV).
(Elisha was not the only one to pray blindness and confusion on those who sought to destroy him. The Psalmist David also prayed “shame and confusion” on his attackers. Psalm 35:4, Psalm 40:14-15 and Psalm 70:2-3 are examples of David’s prayer for his enemies.)
A few weeks ago a friend called to ask Carol and me to join in praying about a kidnapping situation in northern Mexico very close to the U.S. border. Our friend is in relationship with a large ministry presence in one of the cities near the border. On the day of the phone call, a leadership meeting had just concluded and as the participants were leaving, two black SUV’s pulled up and machine gun-toting men jumped out. The gunmen grabbed one of the children of the staff leaders, pushed him into the SUV, and sped off. A short time later one of the kidnappers called the ministry office and demanded $180,000 before sundown or they were going to kill the child.
An emergency call for prayer went out to churches and ministries across the U.S. and Mexico. One of the calls was to our friend who in turn called and asked us to pray with them. Carol and I immediately began to pray together over this dangerous situation. As we prayed I felt very strongly that we should pray what Elisha did in 2 Kings 6:18. After our prayer time I called my friend to tell him about my impression of the importance of praying this prayer.
In Mexico the kidnappers called a second time, demanding to know how the parents were doing in getting the ransom money together. The father frantically replied that they just didn’t have that kind of money and couldn’t get it. The kidnapper exploded in anger and again threatened to kill the boy if their demands were not met before the deadline.
My friend told me later that right after my call to him about Elisha's prayer, he contacted the staff in Mexico and told them about 2 Kings 6:18. The staff member told him that they had received the same Scripture from another prayer partner and they were praying that prayer.
A few hours later, my friend called me to say that the kidnappers had called the parents about one hour before the deadline. They said that they were sorry, they had made a mistake and they were putting the child in a cab and sending him back to the ministry. Praise God for answered prayer!
On May 21, 2010, I posted an article about Elisha’s prayer when the Syrians attempted to capture him. Elisha’s servant saw the enemy army first and reacted in fear, crying out, “Oh, my lord, what are we going to do?” (2 Kings 6:15). (You can reread the original article by going to May in the archives that are listed on the left side of this blog page.)
And then Elisha did something that I want you to take special note of. He prayed for supernatural eyesight to come on his servant so that he could see the army of God. Elisha prayed and the servant saw the host of heaven (the horses and fiery chariots) that cannot be seen by the natural eye.
Not only did Elisha pray for his servant’s eyes to open, but he prayed blindness on the attacking Syrians. This was not physical blindness but mental confusion and bewilderment. Suddenly, confusion reigned in the ranks of the Syrians and they didn’t know where they were or who they were supposed to be capturing.
Again, this is an important point of understanding for us. When the enemy comes at us with overwhelming force, pray Elisha’s prayer: “Strike this people [these attackers], I pray, with blindness” (6:18). And He will do for us what he did for Elisha!
The rest of the story is almost humorous. The confused Syrians lost sight (pun intended) of whom they were to attack and capture. Elisha talked to them and they had no idea who he was. He told them that the man they were looking for was down the road and they should follow him for he would take them where they needed to be. Elisha then led them down the road right into the camp of the king of Israel. About this time the Syrians’ blindness lifted and they saw that instead of them surrounding Elisha, they were actually encircled by the Jewish army (vv. 19-22).
What happened toward the end of the incident in Mexico has a rather humorous ending, as well. Not only did the kidnappers call and apologize for what they had done but they put the kidnap victim in a taxi cab…and actually paid the cab fare back to the ministry headquarters.
I believe we are moving into even more dangerous days than we have previously seen. The recent elections here in the U.S. only prove the volatility of the political arena. The economic conditions of the world continue to disintegrate and evil activity continues to increase on every front. As the storms increase and the attacks come suddenly upon us in the coming days, we are to expect God to do the supernatural on our behalf.
“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, (put your name here), he who formed you, (your name): “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV).
(Elisha was not the only one to pray blindness and confusion on those who sought to destroy him. The Psalmist David also prayed “shame and confusion” on his attackers. Psalm 35:4, Psalm 40:14-15 and Psalm 70:2-3 are examples of David’s prayer for his enemies.)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
UNLOCKING THE RICHES
A few days ago I was working on a teaching that I was to do for the leaders of a ministry here in North Texas. The first chapter of Joshua is the basis of a teaching I call “Guidelines for Success”. The first nine verses of Joshua 1 are God’s instructions to Joshua when he assumed leadership after the death of Moses. This is truly a great passage and is filled with very meaningful instructions not just for leaders but for every believer. God was not just instructing Joshua how to lead the nation but was giving him very powerful promises for every part of his life, both public and private.
As I was working on the teaching , I came to verse eight “Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8)
I have always had trouble with the first part of this verse…the instruction to not let the Word depart from your mouth and the tie to meditation. For me it has been like hitting an unexpected speed bump and I had not found a fully satisfactory answer. The meditation part I grasped but why the instruction to keep the Word in our mouth? Meditation is not an act of the mouth it’s an action of the mind so how do the two then work together?
My study had always focused on the mouth being the primary entrance portal to the body for food, air and water (some of us have very big portals) and that would lead one to believe that the instruction was to regularly take in the Word and then meditate on it. That is solid and good instruction but the Holy Spirit showed me something else that wonderfully builds and expands on this.
We live in the age of fast food, fast cars, fast internet, fast banking, fast women (they’ve been around for a long time). Everything is being done at increasing levels of speed. We are now in the age of fast, prepackaged church services. The pace of life is fast and rarely do we slow down to enjoy much of anything including church.
If you are going to enjoy food you have to savor the mouthful that you have taken in. It’s when you chew the food that the flavor is unlocked and you can really taste and enjoy what you are eating. The word savor means “to have the experience of”. The whole concept behind fast food is that we are in a hurry so let’s eat quickly so that we can continue our rushed life style. The driving principle of fast food is not savoring but quick consumption….”you need this but it’s not necessary to really enjoy it!”
What hit me as I studied this was that this is an injunction to not rush our time with the Word. As in eating it is the chewing, the repetitious chewing of a mouthful that causes the flavor to be released. It’s as we “chew and savor” the Word that we begin to understand more fully what the Author intended. To savor the Word we need to take the time to let the riches begin to unlock and that cannot be done in haste. We need to “stop and smell the roses”.
Meditation for a follower of Jesus is not the mindless repetition of a sentence or a verse. Christian meditation is, as far as I’m concerned, the prayerful repetition of a verse or passage. It’s prayerful because you are asking God to unlock the riches contained in this passage.
(A warning here! If you think you have found all the flavor in a scripture that’s the first sign that you haven’t. We are to savor the Word with the understanding that we will never completely unlock all the flavor in a particular passage.)
There are a lot of practical ways to learn to savor the Word of God. One is to memorize passages…long or short and then call them back to mind. Another is to read and reread passages that have been ministering to you, that you have been drawn to. Another is to put special passages on a card that you can carry in your pocket or post on the edge of your computer screen…in either case you can refer to them regularly, chew on them a bit and continue to let the riches unlock.
“He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20)
Healing and deliverance is available to all of us through God’s word. Take the time and let the flavor/riches unlock in your heart and spirit.
Here is one of the verses that I am meditating on right now.
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)
As I was working on the teaching , I came to verse eight “Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8)
I have always had trouble with the first part of this verse…the instruction to not let the Word depart from your mouth and the tie to meditation. For me it has been like hitting an unexpected speed bump and I had not found a fully satisfactory answer. The meditation part I grasped but why the instruction to keep the Word in our mouth? Meditation is not an act of the mouth it’s an action of the mind so how do the two then work together?
My study had always focused on the mouth being the primary entrance portal to the body for food, air and water (some of us have very big portals) and that would lead one to believe that the instruction was to regularly take in the Word and then meditate on it. That is solid and good instruction but the Holy Spirit showed me something else that wonderfully builds and expands on this.
We live in the age of fast food, fast cars, fast internet, fast banking, fast women (they’ve been around for a long time). Everything is being done at increasing levels of speed. We are now in the age of fast, prepackaged church services. The pace of life is fast and rarely do we slow down to enjoy much of anything including church.
If you are going to enjoy food you have to savor the mouthful that you have taken in. It’s when you chew the food that the flavor is unlocked and you can really taste and enjoy what you are eating. The word savor means “to have the experience of”. The whole concept behind fast food is that we are in a hurry so let’s eat quickly so that we can continue our rushed life style. The driving principle of fast food is not savoring but quick consumption….”you need this but it’s not necessary to really enjoy it!”
What hit me as I studied this was that this is an injunction to not rush our time with the Word. As in eating it is the chewing, the repetitious chewing of a mouthful that causes the flavor to be released. It’s as we “chew and savor” the Word that we begin to understand more fully what the Author intended. To savor the Word we need to take the time to let the riches begin to unlock and that cannot be done in haste. We need to “stop and smell the roses”.
Meditation for a follower of Jesus is not the mindless repetition of a sentence or a verse. Christian meditation is, as far as I’m concerned, the prayerful repetition of a verse or passage. It’s prayerful because you are asking God to unlock the riches contained in this passage.
(A warning here! If you think you have found all the flavor in a scripture that’s the first sign that you haven’t. We are to savor the Word with the understanding that we will never completely unlock all the flavor in a particular passage.)
There are a lot of practical ways to learn to savor the Word of God. One is to memorize passages…long or short and then call them back to mind. Another is to read and reread passages that have been ministering to you, that you have been drawn to. Another is to put special passages on a card that you can carry in your pocket or post on the edge of your computer screen…in either case you can refer to them regularly, chew on them a bit and continue to let the riches unlock.
“He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalm 107:20)
Healing and deliverance is available to all of us through God’s word. Take the time and let the flavor/riches unlock in your heart and spirit.
Here is one of the verses that I am meditating on right now.
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)
Friday, November 5, 2010
THE MIRACLE MILE
Prior to 1954 it was widely believed to be impossible for a human to run a sub-four-minute mile. The first person in history to do so was an English medical student, Roger Bannister, who in May of 1954 ran the mile in 3:59.4, a new world record. A few weeks later an Australian, John Landy, running at an event in Finland, also broke the four-minute barrier at 3:57.9, again a new world record. These two had never competed against each other but would do so at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Vancouver, British Columbia, in August of 1954. History was about to be made and I was there to see it!
August 7, 1954, was the big day when the two runners met. I cannot remember how or why I got to be at Empire Stadium that day. I think I was with a group of my friends from church (Lorne, Rick, Doug). I remember the day was not all that warm and we didn’t have seats; we were in the standing area but just to be there was incredible and the energy and enthusiasm of the packed stadium was contagious.
During the race Landy was leading as they came into the final turn. It appeared that both runners would be under four minutes—and that alone would be historic. As they turned the corner and started down the last stretch toward the finish line, Landy made a mistake. He knew Bannister was closing in on him and he quickly glanced over his left shoulder to see where he was. The moment Landy glanced back, his concentration was broken for just a moment and Bannister shot by him on his right shoulder, took the lead, and won the race in 3:58.9; however, Landy also finished under 4 minutes at 3:59.7. The race became known as “Vancouver’s Miracle Mile.”
The race was immortalized by a full-size bronze sculpture of the crucial moment when Landy looked over his left shoulder and was passed by Bannister. The sculpture stood for many years at the main entrance to Empire Stadium in Vancouver and now is in front of the entrance to the Pacific National Exhibition Fairgrounds. John Landy later quipped, “While Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt for looking back, I am probably the only one turned into bronze for looking back.”
The atmosphere in the stadium the day of the race was electric! The great crowd urged the runners on and encouraged them to stretch out and go for it. It was a great day and I was there—fifty-six years ago!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV).
I believe the crowd of witnesses that we read about in Hebrews 12:1 are those written about in the great Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. These great warriors of faith pack the stands around our life and are there not to judge or critique but to encourage us. They are clapping, shouting, whistling and wanting to lend their energy to our race of faith. We are to draw on their encouragement and allow their faith to flow over into our life, into our journey. Maybe it’s time for you to read Hebrews 11 every day for a week or a month to let the cloud of witnesses become a greater part of your life.
Let nothing come between you and the finish line…let nothing hinder your completing your race. Whatever hinders you, throw it off; simplify your life and walk. By all means keep your eyes fixed on the finish line, on the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. Don’t do a John Landy and start looking over your shoulder to see who or what is gaining on you…it simply doesn’t matter. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!
If anyone is interested, here is a link to a film of the race as it was recorded by the Canadian Broadcasting Company. If you watch carefully as Landy and Bannister come out of the final turn, you will see Landy’s mistake.
http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/athletics/clips/7607/
(If you look really hard you might find me in the crowd…I’ll be the tall, good-looking guy...oh, wait, I was only ten…I’ll be the pudgy, good-looking kid.)
August 7th has been a pretty good day for me. On August 7, 1954, I got to see Bannister and Landy in a historic “miracle mile” and eleven years later, on August 7, 1965, Carol and I were married…a pretty good day, for sure!
August 7, 1954, was the big day when the two runners met. I cannot remember how or why I got to be at Empire Stadium that day. I think I was with a group of my friends from church (Lorne, Rick, Doug). I remember the day was not all that warm and we didn’t have seats; we were in the standing area but just to be there was incredible and the energy and enthusiasm of the packed stadium was contagious.
During the race Landy was leading as they came into the final turn. It appeared that both runners would be under four minutes—and that alone would be historic. As they turned the corner and started down the last stretch toward the finish line, Landy made a mistake. He knew Bannister was closing in on him and he quickly glanced over his left shoulder to see where he was. The moment Landy glanced back, his concentration was broken for just a moment and Bannister shot by him on his right shoulder, took the lead, and won the race in 3:58.9; however, Landy also finished under 4 minutes at 3:59.7. The race became known as “Vancouver’s Miracle Mile.”
The race was immortalized by a full-size bronze sculpture of the crucial moment when Landy looked over his left shoulder and was passed by Bannister. The sculpture stood for many years at the main entrance to Empire Stadium in Vancouver and now is in front of the entrance to the Pacific National Exhibition Fairgrounds. John Landy later quipped, “While Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt for looking back, I am probably the only one turned into bronze for looking back.”
The atmosphere in the stadium the day of the race was electric! The great crowd urged the runners on and encouraged them to stretch out and go for it. It was a great day and I was there—fifty-six years ago!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV).
I believe the crowd of witnesses that we read about in Hebrews 12:1 are those written about in the great Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. These great warriors of faith pack the stands around our life and are there not to judge or critique but to encourage us. They are clapping, shouting, whistling and wanting to lend their energy to our race of faith. We are to draw on their encouragement and allow their faith to flow over into our life, into our journey. Maybe it’s time for you to read Hebrews 11 every day for a week or a month to let the cloud of witnesses become a greater part of your life.
Let nothing come between you and the finish line…let nothing hinder your completing your race. Whatever hinders you, throw it off; simplify your life and walk. By all means keep your eyes fixed on the finish line, on the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. Don’t do a John Landy and start looking over your shoulder to see who or what is gaining on you…it simply doesn’t matter. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!
If anyone is interested, here is a link to a film of the race as it was recorded by the Canadian Broadcasting Company. If you watch carefully as Landy and Bannister come out of the final turn, you will see Landy’s mistake.
http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/athletics/clips/7607/
(If you look really hard you might find me in the crowd…I’ll be the tall, good-looking guy...oh, wait, I was only ten…I’ll be the pudgy, good-looking kid.)
August 7th has been a pretty good day for me. On August 7, 1954, I got to see Bannister and Landy in a historic “miracle mile” and eleven years later, on August 7, 1965, Carol and I were married…a pretty good day, for sure!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
CATCH THE WIND!
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25 NIV).
The apostle Paul challenged the Galatian believers to continually live “by the Spirit,” contrasting the life controlled by the sinful nature with the life led by the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16-22). In straightforward terms, the Apostle explained that these two ways of life are at war with each other.
As Paul explained the opposite nature of the two ways of life, he contrasted the “fruits” that each lifestyle brings forth. The “fruits” of the self-life include immorality, drunkenness, selfish ambition, drug abuse, hatred—and the list goes on (5:19-21). In contrast and at war with the self-life is the Spirit-led life. The “fruits” of the Spirit include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (5:22-23). I love the way the Apostle finishes this section of teaching when he says in verse 25 to “let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Paul is encouraging all believers to stay in harmony with the Spirit. The original word for “in step” means to be in line with, to be in agreement, to follow. Another way to express this would be, “Since by the Holy Spirit we are alive in God, then let us go forward in step with the Spirit’s control and direction.”
How do we learn to get “in step with the Spirit” of God? How do we let the Spirit take the lead and lift our life to one filled with His purpose and fruitfulness?
One of the metaphors used in Scripture to describe the Holy Spirit is “the wind” (see Acts 2:2, John 3:8). If the Holy Spirit is like “the wind” then “getting in step with the Spirit” could be described as “catching the wind.”
Sailing vessels are empowered by raising their sails to catch the wind. There are at least three ways that we can personally raise our sails and “catch the wind” of the Spirit.
1. The Word
Don’t ever let the devil tell you that the Word is dry, boring and out of date—that’s a lie and he knows it, and so should we. Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active.” 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed…”and that means that the Holy Spirit is in and on every page. When you read the Word, expect the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
The wind of the Spirit is blowing through the Word.
2. Worship
It is in worship, perhaps more than in any other act, that we continually show our dependency on Him. By His Spirit, God responds to the humility that true worship requires and He draws near to the humble. The proud in spirit sing and make noise but they do not worship.
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3).
The wind of the Spirit blows when worship is taking place.
3. Prayer
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).
Like worship, prayer that touches God is honest, confident, humble and submissive. When we pray honestly, God responds. When we pray using our spiritual language, we are activating the Holy Spirit and the wind of the Spirit begins to blow.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, NKJV).
The wind of the Spirit blows when we pray!
There is a current television show called “Dancing with the Stars.” The premise is simple; a celebrity is matched with a professional dancer and they practice and practice together, enter into a competition, and hope to win the prize. The professional dancer is the lead in the duo and the celebutard is the follower.
In any successful dance team, there can only be one leader; the partner will learn to anticipate and follow. This is the type of harmony we can have with the Holy Spirit if we let Him take the lead. When we “catch the wind” and let the Holy Spirit lead, our klutzy efforts to be a success spiritually are transformed into a flowing portrait of beauty and grace.
The apostle Peter understood this principle of catching the wind of the Spirit. “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along [moved] by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21, NIV). One of the tragedies of the charismatic and Pentecostal world is the presumption that we know best what the Holy Spirit should do and then attempting to get Him to go the way we want rather than letting Him take the lead. When that happens, we definitely are not in step with the Spirit!
The following picture comes to mind when we think about being in step with the Spirit: Our sail is up, we have caught “the wind,” and He then carries us where He is going.
And that’s where we want to be!
The apostle Paul challenged the Galatian believers to continually live “by the Spirit,” contrasting the life controlled by the sinful nature with the life led by the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16-22). In straightforward terms, the Apostle explained that these two ways of life are at war with each other.
As Paul explained the opposite nature of the two ways of life, he contrasted the “fruits” that each lifestyle brings forth. The “fruits” of the self-life include immorality, drunkenness, selfish ambition, drug abuse, hatred—and the list goes on (5:19-21). In contrast and at war with the self-life is the Spirit-led life. The “fruits” of the Spirit include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (5:22-23). I love the way the Apostle finishes this section of teaching when he says in verse 25 to “let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Paul is encouraging all believers to stay in harmony with the Spirit. The original word for “in step” means to be in line with, to be in agreement, to follow. Another way to express this would be, “Since by the Holy Spirit we are alive in God, then let us go forward in step with the Spirit’s control and direction.”
How do we learn to get “in step with the Spirit” of God? How do we let the Spirit take the lead and lift our life to one filled with His purpose and fruitfulness?
One of the metaphors used in Scripture to describe the Holy Spirit is “the wind” (see Acts 2:2, John 3:8). If the Holy Spirit is like “the wind” then “getting in step with the Spirit” could be described as “catching the wind.”
Sailing vessels are empowered by raising their sails to catch the wind. There are at least three ways that we can personally raise our sails and “catch the wind” of the Spirit.
1. The Word
Don’t ever let the devil tell you that the Word is dry, boring and out of date—that’s a lie and he knows it, and so should we. Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active.” 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed…”and that means that the Holy Spirit is in and on every page. When you read the Word, expect the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
The wind of the Spirit is blowing through the Word.
2. Worship
It is in worship, perhaps more than in any other act, that we continually show our dependency on Him. By His Spirit, God responds to the humility that true worship requires and He draws near to the humble. The proud in spirit sing and make noise but they do not worship.
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3).
The wind of the Spirit blows when worship is taking place.
3. Prayer
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).
Like worship, prayer that touches God is honest, confident, humble and submissive. When we pray honestly, God responds. When we pray using our spiritual language, we are activating the Holy Spirit and the wind of the Spirit begins to blow.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, NKJV).
The wind of the Spirit blows when we pray!
There is a current television show called “Dancing with the Stars.” The premise is simple; a celebrity is matched with a professional dancer and they practice and practice together, enter into a competition, and hope to win the prize. The professional dancer is the lead in the duo and the celebutard is the follower.
In any successful dance team, there can only be one leader; the partner will learn to anticipate and follow. This is the type of harmony we can have with the Holy Spirit if we let Him take the lead. When we “catch the wind” and let the Holy Spirit lead, our klutzy efforts to be a success spiritually are transformed into a flowing portrait of beauty and grace.
The apostle Peter understood this principle of catching the wind of the Spirit. “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along [moved] by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21, NIV). One of the tragedies of the charismatic and Pentecostal world is the presumption that we know best what the Holy Spirit should do and then attempting to get Him to go the way we want rather than letting Him take the lead. When that happens, we definitely are not in step with the Spirit!
The following picture comes to mind when we think about being in step with the Spirit: Our sail is up, we have caught “the wind,” and He then carries us where He is going.
And that’s where we want to be!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
FOOTSTEPS ON THE STAIRS
J. L. sat alone in the empty meeting room feeling a growing sense of despair. The meeting had been announced to begin at 12 noon—lots of advertising had been done and many people contacted. But not a single person had showed up. It was now almost 12:30 and his growing sense of failure was almost overwhelming. Why had this meeting with such a noble purpose turned out to be such a dismal and depressing disappointment?
The U. S. was in dire straits. The economy was crashing; banks were failing; factories were closing; railroad companies were going into bankruptcy; unemployment was skyrocketing; and the nation was being divided largely along lines of politics and justice. Added to the bleak economic picture, the American church was losing attendance almost weekly and the general spiritual condition of the country was extremely apathetic.
Burdened by the terrible spiritual and economic condition of the nation, J. L., a Christian businessman, decided to invite others to join him in a noonday prayer meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 1857. The meeting was to be held on the third floor of the Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street in downtown New York City. Jeremiah Lanphier worked hard to get the word around so that as many as possible would know about the gathering where they could come and pray about the economic and spiritual condition of the nation.
At 12:30 all seemed lost; the prayer meeting would not happen. Apparently no one cared or believed that prayer could make a difference. Sitting alone in the empty meeting room, Lanphier was surprised to hear the welcome noise of footsteps on the stairs and a moment later one person arrived. In the next few minutes several more arrived and a total of six were present for the first prayer meeting that became known as The Laymen’s Prayer Revival or the Revival on Fulton Street.
Those at that first meeting were encouraged and they came back a week later—joined by others for a total of forty-two who were gathered for prayer. A few weeks later it was decided to have a prayer meeting every day at noon, and within six months over ten thousand men were gathering for prayer each midday in New York City.
The prayer revival that began on Fulton Street burst out of New York and flooded across the country. From the tiny town of Hell Corner, New Hampshire, came reports that a prayer revival was born and hardened sinners were repenting. In Chicago two thousand men met daily for prayer in a downtown auditorium. Four thousand men were praying daily in Philadelphia and in Waco, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky, thousands more were gathering daily for prayer.
In Charleston, South Carolina, a Presbyterian pastor called for and led an evening of prayer for the nation. At the appropriate time, the pastor rose to dismiss the crowd—but no one would leave—and the prayer gathering continued until after midnight. Two months of nightly meetings followed with the crowds numbering 1500 to 2000 with hundreds of people turning to the Lord.
Not only were prayer gatherings being held throughout the nation, with large numbers of people coming into relationship with Christ, but God’s presence was being felt throughout the land. Ships coming into New York harbor reported that when they neared the dock they were suddenly aware of the presence of God. On one ship the captain and thirty of the sailors were converted right before the ship docked. On the battleship North Carolina, anchored in New York harbor, four sailors knelt for prayer deep in the bowels of the ship. Other sailors noticed them and began to mock what they were doing when suddenly they were gripped by the presence of the Lord and they too knelt to ask for forgiveness.
It is estimated that between October of 1857 and October of 1859, the churches in America received two million new converts as a direct result of the Prayer Revival.
The similarities between the conditions in America in 1857 and today are strikingly clear. The nation then was in all kinds of economic difficulty, as it is today. The nation was deeply divided in 1857 over the injustice of slavery, and today our nation is just as divided, just as bitter and vitriolic, over politics and justice.
And then we have to compare the state of the church in 1857 to that of the church today. If we are honest about the general spiritual condition of our nation, we have to conclude that it is at a low ebb. Put aside the hyperventilating of a few telling us that, “Everything is okay!” Yes, the number of megachurches is rising but at the same time, church attendance across the nation is dwindling and more churches are closing than are being opened. Recognize that the Christian media has not done what they said they could and would do—evangelize America—and have largely isolated themselves in the “ghetto” of cable T.V. There is no great move of God in our nation.
Will you join me in praying for revival in our land?
“Lord, send a revival—and please send it soon!”
The U. S. was in dire straits. The economy was crashing; banks were failing; factories were closing; railroad companies were going into bankruptcy; unemployment was skyrocketing; and the nation was being divided largely along lines of politics and justice. Added to the bleak economic picture, the American church was losing attendance almost weekly and the general spiritual condition of the country was extremely apathetic.
Burdened by the terrible spiritual and economic condition of the nation, J. L., a Christian businessman, decided to invite others to join him in a noonday prayer meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 1857. The meeting was to be held on the third floor of the Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street in downtown New York City. Jeremiah Lanphier worked hard to get the word around so that as many as possible would know about the gathering where they could come and pray about the economic and spiritual condition of the nation.
At 12:30 all seemed lost; the prayer meeting would not happen. Apparently no one cared or believed that prayer could make a difference. Sitting alone in the empty meeting room, Lanphier was surprised to hear the welcome noise of footsteps on the stairs and a moment later one person arrived. In the next few minutes several more arrived and a total of six were present for the first prayer meeting that became known as The Laymen’s Prayer Revival or the Revival on Fulton Street.
Those at that first meeting were encouraged and they came back a week later—joined by others for a total of forty-two who were gathered for prayer. A few weeks later it was decided to have a prayer meeting every day at noon, and within six months over ten thousand men were gathering for prayer each midday in New York City.
The prayer revival that began on Fulton Street burst out of New York and flooded across the country. From the tiny town of Hell Corner, New Hampshire, came reports that a prayer revival was born and hardened sinners were repenting. In Chicago two thousand men met daily for prayer in a downtown auditorium. Four thousand men were praying daily in Philadelphia and in Waco, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky, thousands more were gathering daily for prayer.
In Charleston, South Carolina, a Presbyterian pastor called for and led an evening of prayer for the nation. At the appropriate time, the pastor rose to dismiss the crowd—but no one would leave—and the prayer gathering continued until after midnight. Two months of nightly meetings followed with the crowds numbering 1500 to 2000 with hundreds of people turning to the Lord.
Not only were prayer gatherings being held throughout the nation, with large numbers of people coming into relationship with Christ, but God’s presence was being felt throughout the land. Ships coming into New York harbor reported that when they neared the dock they were suddenly aware of the presence of God. On one ship the captain and thirty of the sailors were converted right before the ship docked. On the battleship North Carolina, anchored in New York harbor, four sailors knelt for prayer deep in the bowels of the ship. Other sailors noticed them and began to mock what they were doing when suddenly they were gripped by the presence of the Lord and they too knelt to ask for forgiveness.
It is estimated that between October of 1857 and October of 1859, the churches in America received two million new converts as a direct result of the Prayer Revival.
The similarities between the conditions in America in 1857 and today are strikingly clear. The nation then was in all kinds of economic difficulty, as it is today. The nation was deeply divided in 1857 over the injustice of slavery, and today our nation is just as divided, just as bitter and vitriolic, over politics and justice.
And then we have to compare the state of the church in 1857 to that of the church today. If we are honest about the general spiritual condition of our nation, we have to conclude that it is at a low ebb. Put aside the hyperventilating of a few telling us that, “Everything is okay!” Yes, the number of megachurches is rising but at the same time, church attendance across the nation is dwindling and more churches are closing than are being opened. Recognize that the Christian media has not done what they said they could and would do—evangelize America—and have largely isolated themselves in the “ghetto” of cable T.V. There is no great move of God in our nation.
Will you join me in praying for revival in our land?
“Lord, send a revival—and please send it soon!”
Thursday, October 14, 2010
DON'T FORGET TO SAY "THANK YOU!"
It was a very cool day on Vancouver Island and four little boys were ready for an adventure!
Chemainus, British Columbia, a very small, harbor town on the east coast of “the Island,” where I was born. Grandfather Patterson had emigrated from England and for a couple years the family lived in Alberta before eventually settling in Chemainus, a small company town built for the workers at a lumber mill. Both my brother and I were born there but we moved to Vancouver when I was just two, and I lived there until I left to attend college in California.
As a boy, our family would return to “the Island” once or twice every year to visit. Uncles, aunts, cousins, two grandmothers and family friends still lived in the area, so the visits were always fun and full of activities.
When I was about eight years old, my brother, two friends and I set off in a small boat for a ride in the harbor. I was the youngest of the four and was taken along out of pity, I think, or maybe my mom said, “You can only go if you take David.”Anyway, we rented a small wooden boat with a tiny inboard engine that was mostly used by sport fishermen in the town harbor.
It was a very cool day and we dressed accordingly; I wore a flannel shirt, jeans, sneakers and a wool sweater. We spent about an hour puttering aimlessly around the waterfront—no speeding, no wakes shooting up behind—just four carefree boys having fun in a tiny, old, slow boat.
We were headed back to the dock, as our rental time was just about up, when suddenly a fire started in the area right around the base of the inboard engine. Apparently the fuel line had begun to leak, dripping gas right onto the hot muffler, and after a couple of minutes it just exploded.
When the fire flared up, we were about 50 to 60 yards from shore. I don’t remember there being any life jackets or flotation devices on board and after a few seconds, all four of us went over the side into the cold water and began to swim for shore. That’s when the trouble began for me!
I had taken classes at a public pool near our home and knew how to swim. But learning to swim in a nice warm pool and diving into cold seawater fully clothed was another matter. I had no sooner begun to swim toward the shore than I felt as though I was encased in lead and being dragged downward. My wool sweater sucked in water like a sponge and within a few minutes I was in real trouble.
My brother tried to help but there was little he could do because he was dressed much the same as I was. I vividly remember the darkness of being under the surface, the terror of trying to get my breath and getting a mouthful of seawater, instead, and struggling to get to the surface. When I did manage to get my head above the surface, I had to spit out seawater before I could breathe and it was a losing proposition.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a big strong arm grabbed me and began to swim to shore, holding me up so I could breathe. When the fire broke out on our little boat just across the inlet, two mill workers on a boat positioning logs to go into the sawmill saw the flames and immediately headed toward us. Seeing me in difficulty, one of the workers dived overboard, grabbed me, and helped me swim to shore.
In a few minutes it was all over. The police arrived and took us to our parents, soaked, shivering cold—but alive.
I have one deep regret about that happened that day but it didn’t occur to me until sometime later. I never did get to really say thank you to the man who saved my life. I was so shaken and scared when I got to shore that I don’t think I said much to anybody. I know that mom and dad later talked to the two mill workers and thanked them but we went back to Vancouver in a few days and I didn’t see the men again. I am so sorry that I never had a chance to say to him, “Thank you, you saved my life!”
There’s Someone else we often forget to thank. He dived into the waters of life that were about to pull us down and His strong arm lifted us above the drowning; He carried us to shore and put us on solid ground! Jesus rescued us when no one else could.
Perhaps it’s my personal memory of being rescued from drowning and my sense of regret, but I make it a habit every day to express to Him my gratitude for lifting me out of the drowning waters of life. I am so grateful!
One of the reasons the apostle Paul is so insistent in his writings that God’s people express their thanks to Him is because Paul never allowed himself to forget that Jesus had rescued him from a wicked, vile life. Paul was a Christian-killing terrorist filled with rage and confusion and he had a lot to be thankful for. And so do we—all of us!
Don’t forget to say THANK YOU!
Chemainus, British Columbia, a very small, harbor town on the east coast of “the Island,” where I was born. Grandfather Patterson had emigrated from England and for a couple years the family lived in Alberta before eventually settling in Chemainus, a small company town built for the workers at a lumber mill. Both my brother and I were born there but we moved to Vancouver when I was just two, and I lived there until I left to attend college in California.
As a boy, our family would return to “the Island” once or twice every year to visit. Uncles, aunts, cousins, two grandmothers and family friends still lived in the area, so the visits were always fun and full of activities.
When I was about eight years old, my brother, two friends and I set off in a small boat for a ride in the harbor. I was the youngest of the four and was taken along out of pity, I think, or maybe my mom said, “You can only go if you take David.”Anyway, we rented a small wooden boat with a tiny inboard engine that was mostly used by sport fishermen in the town harbor.
It was a very cool day and we dressed accordingly; I wore a flannel shirt, jeans, sneakers and a wool sweater. We spent about an hour puttering aimlessly around the waterfront—no speeding, no wakes shooting up behind—just four carefree boys having fun in a tiny, old, slow boat.
We were headed back to the dock, as our rental time was just about up, when suddenly a fire started in the area right around the base of the inboard engine. Apparently the fuel line had begun to leak, dripping gas right onto the hot muffler, and after a couple of minutes it just exploded.
When the fire flared up, we were about 50 to 60 yards from shore. I don’t remember there being any life jackets or flotation devices on board and after a few seconds, all four of us went over the side into the cold water and began to swim for shore. That’s when the trouble began for me!
I had taken classes at a public pool near our home and knew how to swim. But learning to swim in a nice warm pool and diving into cold seawater fully clothed was another matter. I had no sooner begun to swim toward the shore than I felt as though I was encased in lead and being dragged downward. My wool sweater sucked in water like a sponge and within a few minutes I was in real trouble.
My brother tried to help but there was little he could do because he was dressed much the same as I was. I vividly remember the darkness of being under the surface, the terror of trying to get my breath and getting a mouthful of seawater, instead, and struggling to get to the surface. When I did manage to get my head above the surface, I had to spit out seawater before I could breathe and it was a losing proposition.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a big strong arm grabbed me and began to swim to shore, holding me up so I could breathe. When the fire broke out on our little boat just across the inlet, two mill workers on a boat positioning logs to go into the sawmill saw the flames and immediately headed toward us. Seeing me in difficulty, one of the workers dived overboard, grabbed me, and helped me swim to shore.
In a few minutes it was all over. The police arrived and took us to our parents, soaked, shivering cold—but alive.
I have one deep regret about that happened that day but it didn’t occur to me until sometime later. I never did get to really say thank you to the man who saved my life. I was so shaken and scared when I got to shore that I don’t think I said much to anybody. I know that mom and dad later talked to the two mill workers and thanked them but we went back to Vancouver in a few days and I didn’t see the men again. I am so sorry that I never had a chance to say to him, “Thank you, you saved my life!”
There’s Someone else we often forget to thank. He dived into the waters of life that were about to pull us down and His strong arm lifted us above the drowning; He carried us to shore and put us on solid ground! Jesus rescued us when no one else could.
Perhaps it’s my personal memory of being rescued from drowning and my sense of regret, but I make it a habit every day to express to Him my gratitude for lifting me out of the drowning waters of life. I am so grateful!
One of the reasons the apostle Paul is so insistent in his writings that God’s people express their thanks to Him is because Paul never allowed himself to forget that Jesus had rescued him from a wicked, vile life. Paul was a Christian-killing terrorist filled with rage and confusion and he had a lot to be thankful for. And so do we—all of us!
Don’t forget to say THANK YOU!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
TRUE LEADERSHIP
Moses was a great leader. After his experience with the burning bush in the wilderness and his attempt to be excused from service, Moses went on to become one of the great leaders of all time. Among the many interesting things the Bible tells us about Moses is that he was the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3). How humble is that? How humble is the most humble man on earth? I have trouble wrapping my mind around that.
Recently via the Internet I watched a well-known megachurch pastor defend himself against some very troubling accusations. I have no idea about the validity of the accusations but what concerned me was this man’s attitude. Humility was not to be seen but arrogance was, defiance was. Dressed in an expensive handmade suit and decked out in gold chains and diamond rings, narcissism was in evidence—but not humility. We seem to see a lot of this attitude lately.
One of the more humorous (well, at least to me) and yet insightful stories in the New Testament is found in Matthew 20:20-28. The brothers James and John had their mommy go to Jesus to make a request for them. (Did you get that? Grown men had their mother go and make a request on their behalf!) Mommy said to Jesus, “When you establish your kingdom, could one of my boys please sit at your right and the other at your left?” (v. 21) In the world’s eyes, these are the second-level power seats.
I can just see the brothers standing over to the side, slyly smiling as their mother made this request on their behalf. They thought this was a very cool move!
Jesus’ response was really kind, in spite of the blindness of this trio. “You have no idea what you are asking” (v. 22). At that time, none of the disciples seemed to grasp that when Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God He was not speaking of overthrowing the Romans and establishing an earthy kingdom. Three and one-half years these men spent with Him, almost every day in His physical presence, almost every day sitting under His teaching, and they still didn’t “get it” until after the resurrection.
When the other disciples picked up on the attempted power play by James and John, they were really ticked off but the Lord defused the situation by turning it into a lesson on true biblical leadership. Jesus called together all the disciples and taught them one of the key life lessons of the kingdom.
“It is the way of the world system for those in authority to dominate and control their employees and make a great display of their authority by constantly reminding people that they are important—and they have the power. But among my followers, Jesus said, it will be different. If you want to be a leader in the kingdom of God, first you must become a humble servant. Even I did not come to be served or to act as a ruler. I came to serve My followers and to give My life in payment for their mistakes” (Matthew 20:24b-28, paraphrase mine).
During the American Revolutionary War, a rider on horseback came upon a squad of soldiers who were trying to move a heavy piece of timber. A corporal stood by, shouting orders to “heave,” but the timber was too heavy for the men to move.
The quiet man on the horse addressed the self-important corporal by asking, “Why don’t you help them?”
“Me? Help them? I’m a corporal, sir!”
Dismounting, the stranger carefully took his place with the soldiers. “Now, boys, let’s work together—heave!” said the quiet man. The big piece of timber slid into place. The stranger mounted his horse, turned, and addressed the corporal.
“The next time you have a piece of timber too big for your men to handle, corporal, send for me. My name is George Washington and I’m the commander in chief of this army.”
Leadership in the kingdom of God is not established by flaunting authority, wealth, or power; it is established by serving others. Jesus established His authority and the pattern for kingdom authority by becoming a servant to all His disciples and to all of us by personally paying the ransom for our errors. We become leaders in the kingdom by being willing to serve others—not for the recognition but because it’s the right thing to do.
Recently via the Internet I watched a well-known megachurch pastor defend himself against some very troubling accusations. I have no idea about the validity of the accusations but what concerned me was this man’s attitude. Humility was not to be seen but arrogance was, defiance was. Dressed in an expensive handmade suit and decked out in gold chains and diamond rings, narcissism was in evidence—but not humility. We seem to see a lot of this attitude lately.
One of the more humorous (well, at least to me) and yet insightful stories in the New Testament is found in Matthew 20:20-28. The brothers James and John had their mommy go to Jesus to make a request for them. (Did you get that? Grown men had their mother go and make a request on their behalf!) Mommy said to Jesus, “When you establish your kingdom, could one of my boys please sit at your right and the other at your left?” (v. 21) In the world’s eyes, these are the second-level power seats.
I can just see the brothers standing over to the side, slyly smiling as their mother made this request on their behalf. They thought this was a very cool move!
Jesus’ response was really kind, in spite of the blindness of this trio. “You have no idea what you are asking” (v. 22). At that time, none of the disciples seemed to grasp that when Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God He was not speaking of overthrowing the Romans and establishing an earthy kingdom. Three and one-half years these men spent with Him, almost every day in His physical presence, almost every day sitting under His teaching, and they still didn’t “get it” until after the resurrection.
When the other disciples picked up on the attempted power play by James and John, they were really ticked off but the Lord defused the situation by turning it into a lesson on true biblical leadership. Jesus called together all the disciples and taught them one of the key life lessons of the kingdom.
“It is the way of the world system for those in authority to dominate and control their employees and make a great display of their authority by constantly reminding people that they are important—and they have the power. But among my followers, Jesus said, it will be different. If you want to be a leader in the kingdom of God, first you must become a humble servant. Even I did not come to be served or to act as a ruler. I came to serve My followers and to give My life in payment for their mistakes” (Matthew 20:24b-28, paraphrase mine).
During the American Revolutionary War, a rider on horseback came upon a squad of soldiers who were trying to move a heavy piece of timber. A corporal stood by, shouting orders to “heave,” but the timber was too heavy for the men to move.
The quiet man on the horse addressed the self-important corporal by asking, “Why don’t you help them?”
“Me? Help them? I’m a corporal, sir!”
Dismounting, the stranger carefully took his place with the soldiers. “Now, boys, let’s work together—heave!” said the quiet man. The big piece of timber slid into place. The stranger mounted his horse, turned, and addressed the corporal.
“The next time you have a piece of timber too big for your men to handle, corporal, send for me. My name is George Washington and I’m the commander in chief of this army.”
Leadership in the kingdom of God is not established by flaunting authority, wealth, or power; it is established by serving others. Jesus established His authority and the pattern for kingdom authority by becoming a servant to all His disciples and to all of us by personally paying the ransom for our errors. We become leaders in the kingdom by being willing to serve others—not for the recognition but because it’s the right thing to do.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Name Above All Names
It’s always fascinating to see how God will arrange a meeting between one of His needy children and a reassuring, insightful word from Scripture. I know that some find it preposterous that God would care about the daily activities and needs of His people. But the fact is, He does care for His children; He cares for each of us and, yes, even for you. God desires to give us some of His revealed wisdom in our times of need and He does so through His Word.
I recently had several skin cancers removed from my legs. I’ve had many such lesions removed throughout my life and there was nothing particularly different this time, but for some reason I found some anxiety rising in me. Perhaps one of the reasons for the anxiety was my feeling of,
“Is there no end to this?” The legalistic Pharisees would suggest that I felt this way because of my weak faith and they could be right.
The day before my surgical procedure I had one of those intersections between my need and God’s Word. As I was working at my desk, I came across an old note I had written with just Psalm 75:1-3 on it…nothing else. I am hopelessly curious and when I saw the note I couldn’t just throw it away. I couldn’t remember why I had written it or what these verses were about, so I quickly looked up the passage:
"We give thanks to you, O God,
we give thanks, for your Name is near;
men tell of your wonderful deeds.
You say, "I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge uprightly.
When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm” (Psalm 75:1-3, NIV).
I was deeply encouraged by the reminder to give thanks in all things. And then the powerful declaration of God regarding His sovereignty hit me: “I choose the times, all of them. and I judge all things righteously. When things around you are shaking and seeming like they will fall apart, it is I [God]) who holds the pillars firm.” This was a powerfully encouraging passage for me at my moment of anxiety.
As I enjoyed this word of encouragement, I realized that I didn’t understand one part of it. I was rather baffled by the phrase, “for your Name is near.” What I also didn’t realize was how much the meaning of that phrase was going to minister to me at the place of my need.
After a little research I found out that some ancient Jewish authors and biblical scholars would not write out or pronounce the name of God. They felt that to do so was sacrilegious and showed a lack of reverence, so instead, they put abbreviations (YWWH for Yahweh) or used “the Name” to indicate that it was God they were speaking of.
My search to understand this rather awkward phrase also led me to Deuteronomy 12:5: “You shall seek the place which the Lord your God shall choose…to put His name and make His dwelling place…” (Amplified).
I discovered that the use of “Name” for God is equivalent to “His presence.” The place where God puts His Name is the place where the Lord Himself chooses to dwell.
The Lord quickened at least three things to my heart from these verses:
1. The passage was reminding me to give thanks. The injunction to “give thanks” is repeated within verse one and repetition in Scripture tells me, “This is important so pay attention.” I don’t give thanks for the problems, I give thanks for His faithfulness, for the wonderful ways He has met our needs in the past, and for His unfailing love. I worship Him!
2. God is not remote from those who give thanks. He is near and He is not unaware of each of the needs we face…all of them…big and little. God is aware of everything going on in our lives and He is not removed or distant from the struggle we may be in. In Psalm 75:1 God is telling us that He is near, that He chooses to make His dwelling place close to His children. Honest thanksgiving is humble thanksgiving and God dwells with the humble (Psalm 138:6).
3. I was reminded that He is still in charge, He is sovereign. He establishes the times for everything and when moments of tribulation come, He is the one who will hold things together.
Child of God, no matter the circumstances of your life, He is near and you are entitled to call on His Name.
I recently had several skin cancers removed from my legs. I’ve had many such lesions removed throughout my life and there was nothing particularly different this time, but for some reason I found some anxiety rising in me. Perhaps one of the reasons for the anxiety was my feeling of,
“Is there no end to this?” The legalistic Pharisees would suggest that I felt this way because of my weak faith and they could be right.
The day before my surgical procedure I had one of those intersections between my need and God’s Word. As I was working at my desk, I came across an old note I had written with just Psalm 75:1-3 on it…nothing else. I am hopelessly curious and when I saw the note I couldn’t just throw it away. I couldn’t remember why I had written it or what these verses were about, so I quickly looked up the passage:
"We give thanks to you, O God,
we give thanks, for your Name is near;
men tell of your wonderful deeds.
You say, "I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge uprightly.
When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm” (Psalm 75:1-3, NIV).
I was deeply encouraged by the reminder to give thanks in all things. And then the powerful declaration of God regarding His sovereignty hit me: “I choose the times, all of them. and I judge all things righteously. When things around you are shaking and seeming like they will fall apart, it is I [God]) who holds the pillars firm.” This was a powerfully encouraging passage for me at my moment of anxiety.
As I enjoyed this word of encouragement, I realized that I didn’t understand one part of it. I was rather baffled by the phrase, “for your Name is near.” What I also didn’t realize was how much the meaning of that phrase was going to minister to me at the place of my need.
After a little research I found out that some ancient Jewish authors and biblical scholars would not write out or pronounce the name of God. They felt that to do so was sacrilegious and showed a lack of reverence, so instead, they put abbreviations (YWWH for Yahweh) or used “the Name” to indicate that it was God they were speaking of.
My search to understand this rather awkward phrase also led me to Deuteronomy 12:5: “You shall seek the place which the Lord your God shall choose…to put His name and make His dwelling place…” (Amplified).
I discovered that the use of “Name” for God is equivalent to “His presence.” The place where God puts His Name is the place where the Lord Himself chooses to dwell.
The Lord quickened at least three things to my heart from these verses:
1. The passage was reminding me to give thanks. The injunction to “give thanks” is repeated within verse one and repetition in Scripture tells me, “This is important so pay attention.” I don’t give thanks for the problems, I give thanks for His faithfulness, for the wonderful ways He has met our needs in the past, and for His unfailing love. I worship Him!
2. God is not remote from those who give thanks. He is near and He is not unaware of each of the needs we face…all of them…big and little. God is aware of everything going on in our lives and He is not removed or distant from the struggle we may be in. In Psalm 75:1 God is telling us that He is near, that He chooses to make His dwelling place close to His children. Honest thanksgiving is humble thanksgiving and God dwells with the humble (Psalm 138:6).
3. I was reminded that He is still in charge, He is sovereign. He establishes the times for everything and when moments of tribulation come, He is the one who will hold things together.
Child of God, no matter the circumstances of your life, He is near and you are entitled to call on His Name.
Friday, September 24, 2010
THE EVERLASTING ARMS
“The eternal God is your refuge,
and his everlasting arms are under you” (Deuteronomy 33:27).
A man’s daughter asked one of the local pastors to come and pray with her ill father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The young pastor assumed that the old man had been informed of his visit and had the chair brought in.
“I guess you were expecting me,” he said.
“No, who are you?” asked the father.
The pastor introduced himself and explained why he was there and then remarked, “I saw the empty chair and I thought you knew I was coming to visit.”
“Oh, the chair,” said the old man. “Would you mind closing the door?”
Puzzled, the pastor closed the bedroom door.
“I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man, “but all my life I have never known how to pray. At church I would hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I never understood how to do that, to pray.”
“About four years ago my best friend and I were talking about prayer and he said to me, ‘John, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Let me suggest this. Sit down in a chair, then put an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus sitting on the chair. This is not weird because Jesus promised that He would be with us always. Just speak to Him like you are talking to me right now.’”
“So, I tried it,” said the old man, “and I like it so much that I do it for a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.”
The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on his journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and left.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
“Did he die in peace?” the minister asked.
“Yes” she said. “When I left the house in the afternoon, Daddy called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I came back from grocery shopping about an hour later, I found him. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside his bed. What do you make of that?”
Choking back a sob, the pastor simply said, “I wish we could all go like that,” and then he told the daughter what her dad had told him about the empty chair.
Isn’t it fascinating how the use of an empty chair to visualize a conversation could revolutionize the old man’s prayer life? To learn to love to pray and to spend several hours a day praying is the mark of a changed man. The empty chair is not the reason for the change; the empty chair is where his Friend sat.
Friendship is defined as a relationship of trust, faith, concern and love for the other person.
In John 15:9-17 Jesus taught the disciples the importance and place of love. Jesus instructed the disciples to love each other as He loved them (vs.12). As a part of His teaching, Jesus made the following statement: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NIV).
This was a powerful moment for the disciples because Jesus was offering them the gift of friendship. He didn’t have to make this offer; He did so because He loved them. His generosity in offering friendship was helping the disciples understand grace. They couldn’t earn friendship and they didn’t deserve it, but He offered it anyway because He loved them—and that’s grace.
The pharisaical legalists never do become friends of Jesus; they are too busy running around trying to meet all the demands of the law in the flesh. Legalists are always trying to be perfect and condemning others for their failures. They are trying to earn friendship when Jesus has given it as a gift. Friends receive the gift given in love and the love relationship is established.
Jesus says, “I have called you friends,” so why don’t we act like it? Let’s talk to Jesus as if He is actually a friend and not the recipient of a Tweet. Go ahead and visualize the empty chair and start talking to Him; if you are really burdened down, it’s okay to put your head over on the chair. He won’t mind at all; in fact, I think He will love it.
and his everlasting arms are under you” (Deuteronomy 33:27).
A man’s daughter asked one of the local pastors to come and pray with her ill father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The young pastor assumed that the old man had been informed of his visit and had the chair brought in.
“I guess you were expecting me,” he said.
“No, who are you?” asked the father.
The pastor introduced himself and explained why he was there and then remarked, “I saw the empty chair and I thought you knew I was coming to visit.”
“Oh, the chair,” said the old man. “Would you mind closing the door?”
Puzzled, the pastor closed the bedroom door.
“I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man, “but all my life I have never known how to pray. At church I would hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I never understood how to do that, to pray.”
“About four years ago my best friend and I were talking about prayer and he said to me, ‘John, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Let me suggest this. Sit down in a chair, then put an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus sitting on the chair. This is not weird because Jesus promised that He would be with us always. Just speak to Him like you are talking to me right now.’”
“So, I tried it,” said the old man, “and I like it so much that I do it for a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.”
The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on his journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and left.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
“Did he die in peace?” the minister asked.
“Yes” she said. “When I left the house in the afternoon, Daddy called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I came back from grocery shopping about an hour later, I found him. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside his bed. What do you make of that?”
Choking back a sob, the pastor simply said, “I wish we could all go like that,” and then he told the daughter what her dad had told him about the empty chair.
Isn’t it fascinating how the use of an empty chair to visualize a conversation could revolutionize the old man’s prayer life? To learn to love to pray and to spend several hours a day praying is the mark of a changed man. The empty chair is not the reason for the change; the empty chair is where his Friend sat.
Friendship is defined as a relationship of trust, faith, concern and love for the other person.
In John 15:9-17 Jesus taught the disciples the importance and place of love. Jesus instructed the disciples to love each other as He loved them (vs.12). As a part of His teaching, Jesus made the following statement: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NIV).
This was a powerful moment for the disciples because Jesus was offering them the gift of friendship. He didn’t have to make this offer; He did so because He loved them. His generosity in offering friendship was helping the disciples understand grace. They couldn’t earn friendship and they didn’t deserve it, but He offered it anyway because He loved them—and that’s grace.
The pharisaical legalists never do become friends of Jesus; they are too busy running around trying to meet all the demands of the law in the flesh. Legalists are always trying to be perfect and condemning others for their failures. They are trying to earn friendship when Jesus has given it as a gift. Friends receive the gift given in love and the love relationship is established.
Jesus says, “I have called you friends,” so why don’t we act like it? Let’s talk to Jesus as if He is actually a friend and not the recipient of a Tweet. Go ahead and visualize the empty chair and start talking to Him; if you are really burdened down, it’s okay to put your head over on the chair. He won’t mind at all; in fact, I think He will love it.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11, KJV).
“And such were some of you.” These six words are some of the most hope-filled in all the New Testament.
I have a real affinity for the Corinthian letters. I never tire of reading about this troubled but dynamic church. I suppose it’s because it reminds me so much of today’s American/Canadian church. A troubled, stumbling church that can’t quite get its act together and stand up like an adult. One day it’s making forward strides and the next showing its dirty laundry in the form of scandals, usually over sex and money.
First Corinthians is a pastoral letter written to resolve doctrinal and practical issues within the church. The letter shows some of the cultural problems that followers of Jesus had to deal with, including sexual immorality, idolatry and the spirit of litigation. There were, of course, other issues but isn’t it interesting that the same spirit of litigation is running rampant in our world, as well as immorality and materialism (idolatry)?
One of the things I personally like about the Corinthian letters is the underlying message of hope! The letters speak of the power of the gospel to reach and change people, a message of hope to all who are caught in the vise-like grip of sin. It was Paul who said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16, NIV). The word power in the original is dunamis, meaning energy, might, great force. When you share your testimony you are sharing a message of great power and you must never underestimate that. It is the dunamis of the gospel unleashed in lives that brings change, deliverance and healing. Is it any wonder that the enemy is anxious to divert the message to less lethal subjects?
In First Corinthians chapter six, Paul first takes the church to task over lawsuits between church members. The apostle seems to be somewhat incredulous that believers would actually be suing one another in a secular court. He then goes on and lists a group that will not be inheriting the kingdom of God. And quite a list it is, including those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers. I’m not sure who Paul left out of the list but it wasn’t many. Paul, of course, is referring to the sins that were committed prior to their receiving Christ as their Savior.
But then comes Paul’s powerful statement of hope! With the Corinthian church in mind, he says, “And such were some of you.” Some of you used to be sinners just like those on the list but your life has changed. Because you embraced the power of God, the grip of sin has been broken and you are a new person.
I don’t believe any other New Testament writer could say these words with more “hope” in them than Paul. Before the apostle became a Christian, he was a Christ-hating, Christian-killing terrorist. Before he experienced the “new birth,” Paul lived life on the dark side and he knew intimately the power of the gospel to change a life.
“And such were some of you.” Paul immediately lays out the foundational process that brought these Christ followers to victory and established the “were” in their lives.
“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (l Corinthians 6:11, NIV). For many of us these words are not quickly or easily understood but they are important, so let me try and simplify what the apostle is saying here.
“But you were washed.” This is an action that is initiated on the part of the individual. A better rendering would be, “You washed yourself,” meaning you took a step of faith and invited Jesus Christ into your life. When you did that, it initiated the washing or cleansing of being “born again.” Sin was washed away by the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ.
“You were sanctified.” Sanctification begins at the moment of salvation when the Holy Spirit, heaven’s agent of change, comes to dwell in us. The focus of sanctification is to heal all the destructive work (dysfunctionality) that sin has done in you. For most of us the healing of sanctification is a process that takes place over a period of years or even a lifetime, just as physical healing is most commonly a process. Sanctification will be completed the moment we step into eternity. Second Corinthians 3:18 speaks of us as “…being transformed.”
“You were justified.” Justification focuses on the removal of the guilt of sin. Justification is by faith alone and not works and is complete at the moment of salvation. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that “…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.” The foundation for victory, as I call it, was placed into your life because you called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and at that moment the Holy Spirit came to live in you.
Praise God for His power to change a life. Because Jesus came and gave His life to pay the ransom for sin, no life, no matter how messed up it is, is outside the ability of the gospel (the power of God) to change it! “…If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).
“And such were many of us.”
“And such were some of you.” These six words are some of the most hope-filled in all the New Testament.
I have a real affinity for the Corinthian letters. I never tire of reading about this troubled but dynamic church. I suppose it’s because it reminds me so much of today’s American/Canadian church. A troubled, stumbling church that can’t quite get its act together and stand up like an adult. One day it’s making forward strides and the next showing its dirty laundry in the form of scandals, usually over sex and money.
First Corinthians is a pastoral letter written to resolve doctrinal and practical issues within the church. The letter shows some of the cultural problems that followers of Jesus had to deal with, including sexual immorality, idolatry and the spirit of litigation. There were, of course, other issues but isn’t it interesting that the same spirit of litigation is running rampant in our world, as well as immorality and materialism (idolatry)?
One of the things I personally like about the Corinthian letters is the underlying message of hope! The letters speak of the power of the gospel to reach and change people, a message of hope to all who are caught in the vise-like grip of sin. It was Paul who said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16, NIV). The word power in the original is dunamis, meaning energy, might, great force. When you share your testimony you are sharing a message of great power and you must never underestimate that. It is the dunamis of the gospel unleashed in lives that brings change, deliverance and healing. Is it any wonder that the enemy is anxious to divert the message to less lethal subjects?
In First Corinthians chapter six, Paul first takes the church to task over lawsuits between church members. The apostle seems to be somewhat incredulous that believers would actually be suing one another in a secular court. He then goes on and lists a group that will not be inheriting the kingdom of God. And quite a list it is, including those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers. I’m not sure who Paul left out of the list but it wasn’t many. Paul, of course, is referring to the sins that were committed prior to their receiving Christ as their Savior.
But then comes Paul’s powerful statement of hope! With the Corinthian church in mind, he says, “And such were some of you.” Some of you used to be sinners just like those on the list but your life has changed. Because you embraced the power of God, the grip of sin has been broken and you are a new person.
I don’t believe any other New Testament writer could say these words with more “hope” in them than Paul. Before the apostle became a Christian, he was a Christ-hating, Christian-killing terrorist. Before he experienced the “new birth,” Paul lived life on the dark side and he knew intimately the power of the gospel to change a life.
“And such were some of you.” Paul immediately lays out the foundational process that brought these Christ followers to victory and established the “were” in their lives.
“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (l Corinthians 6:11, NIV). For many of us these words are not quickly or easily understood but they are important, so let me try and simplify what the apostle is saying here.
“But you were washed.” This is an action that is initiated on the part of the individual. A better rendering would be, “You washed yourself,” meaning you took a step of faith and invited Jesus Christ into your life. When you did that, it initiated the washing or cleansing of being “born again.” Sin was washed away by the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ.
“You were sanctified.” Sanctification begins at the moment of salvation when the Holy Spirit, heaven’s agent of change, comes to dwell in us. The focus of sanctification is to heal all the destructive work (dysfunctionality) that sin has done in you. For most of us the healing of sanctification is a process that takes place over a period of years or even a lifetime, just as physical healing is most commonly a process. Sanctification will be completed the moment we step into eternity. Second Corinthians 3:18 speaks of us as “…being transformed.”
“You were justified.” Justification focuses on the removal of the guilt of sin. Justification is by faith alone and not works and is complete at the moment of salvation. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that “…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God.” The foundation for victory, as I call it, was placed into your life because you called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and at that moment the Holy Spirit came to live in you.
Praise God for His power to change a life. Because Jesus came and gave His life to pay the ransom for sin, no life, no matter how messed up it is, is outside the ability of the gospel (the power of God) to change it! “…If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).
“And such were many of us.”
Friday, September 10, 2010
THE SUFFICIENCY OF GRACE! DOES IT MATTER?
The debate over Paul’s thorn in the flesh began right after Paul died and it continues today. Scholars, theologians and TV preachers have taken adamant stands on what the thorn could and could not have been. Some early “experts” were convinced that Paul was the victim of an overwhelming spirit of perverted lust, others that he had eye problems, headaches, stomach aches, epilepsy—and the list goes on and on.
The point is that we don’t know what the thorn was and, frankly, if God wanted us to know He would have told us. It’s a trick of the enemy to get people stuck on the identity of the thorn. What we do know for sure is that the Greek word for thorn, skolops, used in 2 Corinthians 12:7 is not used anywhere else in the Bible. The meaning of the word is more than a little sticker on the stem of a rosebush; in fact, it means a sharpened stake. When the attacks of Paul’s thorn came, apparently it felt similar to being impaled, resulting in intense pain.
Paul prayed on three different occasions for this “thorn in the flesh” to be removed but God said no! I’m glad that God said no and I’m glad we don’t know what the thorn was. Why? Because when God said no to Paul, He spoke and gave him one of the most powerful revelations of the New Testament. If God hadn’t said no, we would not have this revelation:
“But he [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Was this revelation of the sufficiency of grace so important that Paul was left with a lingering painful problem?
Paul began this whole section of teaching on grace by referring to the great revelations that he had received years earlier in his life. His descriptions included recounting being “caught up to the third heaven” (12:2) where he saw and heard things that he had no words to describe, and others that he was not permitted to talk about.
A good thing to remember at this point is that God will not talk to (give revelations to) the proud and arrogant. “Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud” (Psalm 138:6 NLT).
Sometimes God will give a wonderful revelation of truth to a humble person and as he/she begins to share that revelation, an insidious thought begins to edge its way into the mind: “You received that revelation because you are a very special person; you are not like the rest—you are smarter, more perceptive.” The father of lies begins his tale of deception, and pride takes root in the heart and mind of the previously humble person. At that point God withdraws and no further revelations come until the pride is dealt with. The apostle Paul understood this principle.
So that Paul would not fall prey to that deception, God allowed a “thorn” to come into his life to constantly remind him of how human and weak he really was. Out of the buffeting and pain of what Paul also describes as a “messenger of Satan” came a revelation for all time. The Lord spoke to Paul as he begged for an end to the pain: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (12:9 NLT). The Lord links grace and power; He says that grace is power and that power flows out of weakness. The honestly humble follower of Christ knows that when life overwhelms him and there is nothing left that he can do…it is not over! It is out of the weakness and emptiness of being at the end of yourself that the power of God begins to flow. We call it a miracle or we testify to a mighty deliverance and we thank and praise Him for it. All of those things are manifestations of the sufficiency of His grace that meets us at the point of our weakness.
“When I am weak then I am strong” (12:10). Paul was a student of the Old Testament; he fully understood the revelation that God gave him about grace, weakness and strength because he knew what Proverbs taught. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding…and He shall…” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Paul learned not to lean on his own abilities, as vast as they were, but on the sufficiency of God’s grace. Paul learned that, as humiliating as it was to preach that Christ heals the sick and yet be sick himself, the greatest manifestations of grace came when he was at the end of himself.
Acknowledged weakness is the trigger to releasing the flow of God’s grace/power in our lives. This is precisely the point of the apostle John’s statement, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins…” (1 John 1:9 NIV). The forgiveness and cleansing come when we acknowledge our weakness.
I am really trying to learn to lean better, how about you? I want His grace, His power flowing more distinctly in my life.
“The weaker we feel, the harder we lean—the harder we lean, the stronger we grow.” (J. I. Packer)
The point is that we don’t know what the thorn was and, frankly, if God wanted us to know He would have told us. It’s a trick of the enemy to get people stuck on the identity of the thorn. What we do know for sure is that the Greek word for thorn, skolops, used in 2 Corinthians 12:7 is not used anywhere else in the Bible. The meaning of the word is more than a little sticker on the stem of a rosebush; in fact, it means a sharpened stake. When the attacks of Paul’s thorn came, apparently it felt similar to being impaled, resulting in intense pain.
Paul prayed on three different occasions for this “thorn in the flesh” to be removed but God said no! I’m glad that God said no and I’m glad we don’t know what the thorn was. Why? Because when God said no to Paul, He spoke and gave him one of the most powerful revelations of the New Testament. If God hadn’t said no, we would not have this revelation:
“But he [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Was this revelation of the sufficiency of grace so important that Paul was left with a lingering painful problem?
Paul began this whole section of teaching on grace by referring to the great revelations that he had received years earlier in his life. His descriptions included recounting being “caught up to the third heaven” (12:2) where he saw and heard things that he had no words to describe, and others that he was not permitted to talk about.
A good thing to remember at this point is that God will not talk to (give revelations to) the proud and arrogant. “Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud” (Psalm 138:6 NLT).
Sometimes God will give a wonderful revelation of truth to a humble person and as he/she begins to share that revelation, an insidious thought begins to edge its way into the mind: “You received that revelation because you are a very special person; you are not like the rest—you are smarter, more perceptive.” The father of lies begins his tale of deception, and pride takes root in the heart and mind of the previously humble person. At that point God withdraws and no further revelations come until the pride is dealt with. The apostle Paul understood this principle.
So that Paul would not fall prey to that deception, God allowed a “thorn” to come into his life to constantly remind him of how human and weak he really was. Out of the buffeting and pain of what Paul also describes as a “messenger of Satan” came a revelation for all time. The Lord spoke to Paul as he begged for an end to the pain: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (12:9 NLT). The Lord links grace and power; He says that grace is power and that power flows out of weakness. The honestly humble follower of Christ knows that when life overwhelms him and there is nothing left that he can do…it is not over! It is out of the weakness and emptiness of being at the end of yourself that the power of God begins to flow. We call it a miracle or we testify to a mighty deliverance and we thank and praise Him for it. All of those things are manifestations of the sufficiency of His grace that meets us at the point of our weakness.
“When I am weak then I am strong” (12:10). Paul was a student of the Old Testament; he fully understood the revelation that God gave him about grace, weakness and strength because he knew what Proverbs taught. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding…and He shall…” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Paul learned not to lean on his own abilities, as vast as they were, but on the sufficiency of God’s grace. Paul learned that, as humiliating as it was to preach that Christ heals the sick and yet be sick himself, the greatest manifestations of grace came when he was at the end of himself.
Acknowledged weakness is the trigger to releasing the flow of God’s grace/power in our lives. This is precisely the point of the apostle John’s statement, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins…” (1 John 1:9 NIV). The forgiveness and cleansing come when we acknowledge our weakness.
I am really trying to learn to lean better, how about you? I want His grace, His power flowing more distinctly in my life.
“The weaker we feel, the harder we lean—the harder we lean, the stronger we grow.” (J. I. Packer)
Friday, September 3, 2010
YOU WERE BORN TO FLY!
One of the more interesting visual images given in Scripture is that of the eagle. Two brief passages present the imagery of the eagle; the first passage presents the visual of God likened to an eagle caring for its children and the second passage likens the people of God to the eagle.
• As an eagle stirs up its nest,
Hovers over its young,
Spreading out its wings, taking them up,
Carrying them on its wings,
So the LORD alone led him,
And there was no foreign god with him. (Deuteronomy 32:11-12, NKJV)
• But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NIV; also see Exodus 19:4 NIV)
So, what do you think? If the parent is referred to as an eagle and the child is, too, what does that mean? Yes, that’s right! We were born to fly, to soar like the eagle!
Eagles are known for their ability to soar high above the earth. Some eagles are reported to be able to catch a thermal draft and fly 15,000 to 20,000 feet high. But the ability to fly is not something that eagles are born with—they have to learn this skill. Eagles are not eagles if they cannot fly! Turkeys don’t fly, they strut and cackle!
Eagles build their nests far above the earth, usually at the top of a tall tree high up on the side of a cliff or mountain. In a few minutes you will understand why.
Mom and dad eagle build the nest from sticks and then they pad the interior with feathers, down, grass and leaves. They don’t want their babies to have sticks poking them all day long so they make sure the nest is comfortable and softly lined.
An eaglet has a pretty good life. A great view, a soft bed, and room service throughout the day as mom and dad bring in the latest menu items of road kill.
Baby is growing and enjoying this good life. How easy it would be to spend the rest of one’s life living in this kind of laid-back comfort.
One day mother eagle seems to lose her mind. Instead of bringing the hungry eaglets food, she hovers over the nest and with the downdraft of her powerful wings she blows all the comfortable padding out of the nest. The comfort flies away and what’s left are the eaglets and a less-than-comfortable bed of sticks. But, hey, this is still a pretty good life, with room service and a great view.
But with the stirring of the nest everything begins to change. Instead of bringing the food into the nest, mom and dad start having the children come to them. First, the children have to climb up and get their food at the edge of the nest. Well, that’s new and a little inconvenient, but the children handle it. Then one day no more service into the nest at all. Instead, the parents hover with the food just outside the nest and baby is forced to climb to the edge and stretch out and take the food. A few days later, parents have moved back a little further and as hungry baby tries to reach for the food, it slips and begins to fall.
Baby cannot fly because it has no strength in its unused wings, so down it tumbles and “it ain’t flying but it’s sure trying.” Mother is ready for this and she swoops down and under the falling child, catches it and carries it back to the nest. Baby is unharmed and safe because mother is there.
The next day it’s the same thing. Down goes the child with wings flapping and flapping but it has not learned to fly—yet. Over and over the lesson is repeated and slowly strength comes into the baby’s wings. One day as baby falls and instinctively begins to flap its wings, suddenly everything begins to work and it begins to fly for the first time. Baby is not a baby anymore; now it’s an eagle because eagles know how to fly.
Mother had not lost her mind when she stirred the nest and blew the comfort out of the eaglet’s life. Mother knew that for an eagle to be an eagle, it had to learn to fly.
God will stir our nest and at times He will remove the comfort from our life. He knows that left to our own ways we will choose comfort over faith and so the training begins.
God knows that we have to learn to walk by faith, because without faith we cannot do His work and we cannot please Him.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will never be inattentive to your cry but He will stir your nest and teach you to fly because, “They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”
You were born to fly!
• As an eagle stirs up its nest,
Hovers over its young,
Spreading out its wings, taking them up,
Carrying them on its wings,
So the LORD alone led him,
And there was no foreign god with him. (Deuteronomy 32:11-12, NKJV)
• But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NIV; also see Exodus 19:4 NIV)
So, what do you think? If the parent is referred to as an eagle and the child is, too, what does that mean? Yes, that’s right! We were born to fly, to soar like the eagle!
Eagles are known for their ability to soar high above the earth. Some eagles are reported to be able to catch a thermal draft and fly 15,000 to 20,000 feet high. But the ability to fly is not something that eagles are born with—they have to learn this skill. Eagles are not eagles if they cannot fly! Turkeys don’t fly, they strut and cackle!
Eagles build their nests far above the earth, usually at the top of a tall tree high up on the side of a cliff or mountain. In a few minutes you will understand why.
Mom and dad eagle build the nest from sticks and then they pad the interior with feathers, down, grass and leaves. They don’t want their babies to have sticks poking them all day long so they make sure the nest is comfortable and softly lined.
An eaglet has a pretty good life. A great view, a soft bed, and room service throughout the day as mom and dad bring in the latest menu items of road kill.
Baby is growing and enjoying this good life. How easy it would be to spend the rest of one’s life living in this kind of laid-back comfort.
One day mother eagle seems to lose her mind. Instead of bringing the hungry eaglets food, she hovers over the nest and with the downdraft of her powerful wings she blows all the comfortable padding out of the nest. The comfort flies away and what’s left are the eaglets and a less-than-comfortable bed of sticks. But, hey, this is still a pretty good life, with room service and a great view.
But with the stirring of the nest everything begins to change. Instead of bringing the food into the nest, mom and dad start having the children come to them. First, the children have to climb up and get their food at the edge of the nest. Well, that’s new and a little inconvenient, but the children handle it. Then one day no more service into the nest at all. Instead, the parents hover with the food just outside the nest and baby is forced to climb to the edge and stretch out and take the food. A few days later, parents have moved back a little further and as hungry baby tries to reach for the food, it slips and begins to fall.
Baby cannot fly because it has no strength in its unused wings, so down it tumbles and “it ain’t flying but it’s sure trying.” Mother is ready for this and she swoops down and under the falling child, catches it and carries it back to the nest. Baby is unharmed and safe because mother is there.
The next day it’s the same thing. Down goes the child with wings flapping and flapping but it has not learned to fly—yet. Over and over the lesson is repeated and slowly strength comes into the baby’s wings. One day as baby falls and instinctively begins to flap its wings, suddenly everything begins to work and it begins to fly for the first time. Baby is not a baby anymore; now it’s an eagle because eagles know how to fly.
Mother had not lost her mind when she stirred the nest and blew the comfort out of the eaglet’s life. Mother knew that for an eagle to be an eagle, it had to learn to fly.
God will stir our nest and at times He will remove the comfort from our life. He knows that left to our own ways we will choose comfort over faith and so the training begins.
God knows that we have to learn to walk by faith, because without faith we cannot do His work and we cannot please Him.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will never be inattentive to your cry but He will stir your nest and teach you to fly because, “They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”
You were born to fly!
Friday, August 27, 2010
DID ELIJAH FAIL GOD AND LOSE HIS ANOINTING?
When we last visited Elijah, he had been so empowered by the “hand of God” that he was outrunning a team of horses. When he arrived at Jezreel, the wicked Jezebel threatened him, saying he would be dead within twenty-four hours (1 Kings 19:1-2).
A part of the spiritual DNA of prophets is that they are people of tremendous courage, so what happens next is uncharacteristic of Elijah. Hearing Jezebel’s threat, Elijah reacted in fear and ran for his life. Out in the desert alone he prayed, “I have had enough, Lord, take my life…” (1 Kings 19:4) and then he lay down and went to sleep. Sometime later an angel awakened him and said, “Get up and eat” and there was fresh baked bread and a pitcher of water for him. After eating, Elijah slept some more and a second time the angel awakened him and instructed him to eat, as he would need strength for his journey.
This is the picture of an emotionally and spiritually exhausted man. I believe Elijah’s fearful reaction was the result of extreme weariness, coupled with his sensitivity as a prophet. Prophets are those who “hear from the Lord,” which means they are sensitive, sometimes too much so, and are vulnerable to criticism and threats.
Over the next forty days Elijah traveled hard to get to Mount Horeb, sometimes known as Mount Sinai, the same mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. When he arrived at the mountain, God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9). Elijah complained about being the only one left who was devoted to the Lord and then he had a powerful experience with God. But before God spoke directly to him, a tornado-like wind tore up the mountains, followed by an earthquake, and then fire from heaven. But the Bible says that God was not in any of those demonstrations; and again Elijah heard a gentle whisper, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:13).
I have heard many sermons and teachings over the years declaring that Elijah’s response to God’s question sealed his doom and God declared him to be unfit to be a prophet. The assertion is that Elijah failed and God replaced him—but these teachings are completely wrong. We know that Elijah didn’t do the right thing after Jezebel’s threat but God did not declare him a failure and replace him—no! A hundred times—no!
God listened to Elijah’s complaint but did not chide him. God simply stated that there were 7000 who had not bowed their knees to Baal and then He proceeded to give Elijah a new set of marching orders. One of the things God told Elijah to do was to “anoint Elisha…to succeed you” (1 Kings 19:16). Please note the wording: it is not replacement, it is successor, and if Elijah had really failed, God would not have been sending him on this mission. In fact, this story gives us a wonderful picture of God’s longsuffering and grace.
Elijah followed through on what God told him to do and finally called his successor, Elisha. Elisha was a farmer when “the call” came to him through the prophet. He was not in Bible school or in one of the schools of the prophets…he was a working man, a farmer (1 Kings 19:21).
After Elijah and Elisha teamed up, the Bible is silent on them. The best records available indicate that the time from Elisha’s call to ministry to Elijah’s last appearance is about ten years and perhaps longer. What were they doing during this period of silence? We don’t know for sure but we can surmise from the powerful ministry of Elisha after Elijah was gone that the silent years had been well spent with Elijah mentoring his successor.
In 2 Kings 2, Elijah and Elisha reappear after the years of silence. The narrative tells us that the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah tried to talk Elisha out of traveling with him during his last days: “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel” (2:1). But I believe Elisha knew what was about to happen and he would have nothing to do with Elijah’s suggestion. He made it plain that he would not leave his mentor’s side (2:2). Twice more Elijah tried to get Elisha to stay, but Elisha refused (2:4, 6).
Coming to the Jordan River, Elijah took his cloak and struck the water with it. The waters parted and the two crossed over on dry ground. Elijah then turned to his protégé and asked, “What can I do for you before I am taken from you?” Elisha quickly replied, “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit” (2 Kings 2:9).
“‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not’” (v. 10).
Suddenly a chariot and horses of fire appeared and separated the two prophets as Elijah was caught up to heaven in a whirlwind. As Elijah was being taken up, his cloak fell on the ground (please note this carefully). The cloak did not fall on Elisha but on the ground, and Elisha picked up the cloak of Elijah. The mantle of God’s anointing does not fall on people, it is a gift of God that is received by faith.
Elijah was not a failure—he finished strong! Yes, he made a mistake in running from Jezebel, but he took his correction and his new marching orders and went on. He trained his successor and then went into the presence of God in a spectacular display of God’s love for him. Enoch is the only other Old Testament character to be caught into God’s presence like this.
Elisha began his ministry at the point that Elijah finished his. Elisha picked up the cloak of Elijah, struck the Jordan River with it, the waters parted, and he crossed over into his destiny!
A part of the spiritual DNA of prophets is that they are people of tremendous courage, so what happens next is uncharacteristic of Elijah. Hearing Jezebel’s threat, Elijah reacted in fear and ran for his life. Out in the desert alone he prayed, “I have had enough, Lord, take my life…” (1 Kings 19:4) and then he lay down and went to sleep. Sometime later an angel awakened him and said, “Get up and eat” and there was fresh baked bread and a pitcher of water for him. After eating, Elijah slept some more and a second time the angel awakened him and instructed him to eat, as he would need strength for his journey.
This is the picture of an emotionally and spiritually exhausted man. I believe Elijah’s fearful reaction was the result of extreme weariness, coupled with his sensitivity as a prophet. Prophets are those who “hear from the Lord,” which means they are sensitive, sometimes too much so, and are vulnerable to criticism and threats.
Over the next forty days Elijah traveled hard to get to Mount Horeb, sometimes known as Mount Sinai, the same mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. When he arrived at the mountain, God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9). Elijah complained about being the only one left who was devoted to the Lord and then he had a powerful experience with God. But before God spoke directly to him, a tornado-like wind tore up the mountains, followed by an earthquake, and then fire from heaven. But the Bible says that God was not in any of those demonstrations; and again Elijah heard a gentle whisper, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:13).
I have heard many sermons and teachings over the years declaring that Elijah’s response to God’s question sealed his doom and God declared him to be unfit to be a prophet. The assertion is that Elijah failed and God replaced him—but these teachings are completely wrong. We know that Elijah didn’t do the right thing after Jezebel’s threat but God did not declare him a failure and replace him—no! A hundred times—no!
God listened to Elijah’s complaint but did not chide him. God simply stated that there were 7000 who had not bowed their knees to Baal and then He proceeded to give Elijah a new set of marching orders. One of the things God told Elijah to do was to “anoint Elisha…to succeed you” (1 Kings 19:16). Please note the wording: it is not replacement, it is successor, and if Elijah had really failed, God would not have been sending him on this mission. In fact, this story gives us a wonderful picture of God’s longsuffering and grace.
Elijah followed through on what God told him to do and finally called his successor, Elisha. Elisha was a farmer when “the call” came to him through the prophet. He was not in Bible school or in one of the schools of the prophets…he was a working man, a farmer (1 Kings 19:21).
After Elijah and Elisha teamed up, the Bible is silent on them. The best records available indicate that the time from Elisha’s call to ministry to Elijah’s last appearance is about ten years and perhaps longer. What were they doing during this period of silence? We don’t know for sure but we can surmise from the powerful ministry of Elisha after Elijah was gone that the silent years had been well spent with Elijah mentoring his successor.
In 2 Kings 2, Elijah and Elisha reappear after the years of silence. The narrative tells us that the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah tried to talk Elisha out of traveling with him during his last days: “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel” (2:1). But I believe Elisha knew what was about to happen and he would have nothing to do with Elijah’s suggestion. He made it plain that he would not leave his mentor’s side (2:2). Twice more Elijah tried to get Elisha to stay, but Elisha refused (2:4, 6).
Coming to the Jordan River, Elijah took his cloak and struck the water with it. The waters parted and the two crossed over on dry ground. Elijah then turned to his protégé and asked, “What can I do for you before I am taken from you?” Elisha quickly replied, “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit” (2 Kings 2:9).
“‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not’” (v. 10).
Suddenly a chariot and horses of fire appeared and separated the two prophets as Elijah was caught up to heaven in a whirlwind. As Elijah was being taken up, his cloak fell on the ground (please note this carefully). The cloak did not fall on Elisha but on the ground, and Elisha picked up the cloak of Elijah. The mantle of God’s anointing does not fall on people, it is a gift of God that is received by faith.
Elijah was not a failure—he finished strong! Yes, he made a mistake in running from Jezebel, but he took his correction and his new marching orders and went on. He trained his successor and then went into the presence of God in a spectacular display of God’s love for him. Enoch is the only other Old Testament character to be caught into God’s presence like this.
Elisha began his ministry at the point that Elijah finished his. Elisha picked up the cloak of Elijah, struck the Jordan River with it, the waters parted, and he crossed over into his destiny!
Friday, August 20, 2010
WHEN GOD SAYS NO!
David was the greatest warrior king ever to lead the nation of Israel. Under his leadership Israel’s enemies were subdued and its borders were expanded. 2 Samuel 7:1 tells us that a period of peace came to the nation: “The Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies.” In this period of tranquility David wanted to build God a house. “I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains” (2 Samuel 7:2). David was uncomfortable with living in a beautiful house while the presence of the Lord dwelt in a tent!
David submitted his idea to the prophet Nathan who agreed, saying, “Go, do whatever is in your heart, for the Lord is with you” (2 Samuel 7:3). Later that night, as Nathan was trying to sleep, the Lord came to him and sternly said, “Go and tell David My servant, Thus says the Lord: You shall not build Me a house to dwell in” (1 Chronicles 17:3-4).
Both Nathan and David had been wrong. To Nathan, God said, “You go and correct what you said” and to David the word of the Lord was, “No!” There was nothing unrighteous in what David wanted to do but God still said, “No!”
Paul, Silas and Timothy were travelling together preaching the gospel and in Acts 16: 6-7 we read that Paul wanted to go into one of the provinces of Asia but the Lord would not allow it. God said “no” to Paul preaching the gospel in these areas! It’s hard to believe that God would say “no” to the preaching of the gospel to the lost—but He did!
Why would God say “no” to David who wanted to honor Him by building a temple? Why would God tell Paul “no” to preaching the gospel in an area that had not yet heard the message? Why did God tell Jesus “no” in the Garden of Gethsemane, and why did God tell Paul “no” three times as he prayed for his own healing? Why does God sometimes say “no” to us? And how are we supposed to handle it?
I am fully aware that what I am about to say runs counter to some popular teaching. Some teach that if there is a promise in the Bible, then we have the right to claim it and demand that God fulfill it on our behalf. I know that Hebrews says that we are to come boldly into His presence and make our requests known—and I know that’s our privilege. But please understand that this does not mean God will give us everything we ask for. He will answer your prayer, have no doubt about that, but sometimes He will tell you “no.”
Why would God do that?
I want to suggest there are at least three reasons why God says “no.” Perhaps in trying to understand these, we will understand better how to process the answer when it is “no.”
1. God has the whole picture in view. Our ability to see the full picture is extremely limited because we live fixed in time. God doesn’t dwell in time, He lives in eternity and sees the past, the present and the future as one. God knew that both David and Paul had pure hearts and only wanted to please Him but He had other things for them to do; He had other plans and other times in mind and so He said “no.”
2. God will say “no” because He has our best interests at heart: “When you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure” (James 4:3). Asking, knocking, seeking—and God says “no.” God understands why we ask for what we do and to the impure motive He will answer in the negative. God constantly watches out for us. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come because He knows that it would take us in the wrong direction…so grow up and get over it!
3. Sometimes God will say “no” because He is a loving and good parent. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11). This passage is a comparison between us, the natural parent, and God, the perfect parent. Good parents will not say “yes” to everything their child asks for. That kind of thinking produces spoiled and immature adults who treat God as if He is a slot machine and they are going to win a prize every time they put money in the slot. God is very much into helping people mature, and mature believers have learned how to respond with grace when the answer is “no.”
God loves us so deeply and cares for us so much that sometimes He will say “no.” How we respond is indicative of how spiritually grown-up we are.
David submitted his idea to the prophet Nathan who agreed, saying, “Go, do whatever is in your heart, for the Lord is with you” (2 Samuel 7:3). Later that night, as Nathan was trying to sleep, the Lord came to him and sternly said, “Go and tell David My servant, Thus says the Lord: You shall not build Me a house to dwell in” (1 Chronicles 17:3-4).
Both Nathan and David had been wrong. To Nathan, God said, “You go and correct what you said” and to David the word of the Lord was, “No!” There was nothing unrighteous in what David wanted to do but God still said, “No!”
Paul, Silas and Timothy were travelling together preaching the gospel and in Acts 16: 6-7 we read that Paul wanted to go into one of the provinces of Asia but the Lord would not allow it. God said “no” to Paul preaching the gospel in these areas! It’s hard to believe that God would say “no” to the preaching of the gospel to the lost—but He did!
Why would God say “no” to David who wanted to honor Him by building a temple? Why would God tell Paul “no” to preaching the gospel in an area that had not yet heard the message? Why did God tell Jesus “no” in the Garden of Gethsemane, and why did God tell Paul “no” three times as he prayed for his own healing? Why does God sometimes say “no” to us? And how are we supposed to handle it?
I am fully aware that what I am about to say runs counter to some popular teaching. Some teach that if there is a promise in the Bible, then we have the right to claim it and demand that God fulfill it on our behalf. I know that Hebrews says that we are to come boldly into His presence and make our requests known—and I know that’s our privilege. But please understand that this does not mean God will give us everything we ask for. He will answer your prayer, have no doubt about that, but sometimes He will tell you “no.”
Why would God do that?
I want to suggest there are at least three reasons why God says “no.” Perhaps in trying to understand these, we will understand better how to process the answer when it is “no.”
1. God has the whole picture in view. Our ability to see the full picture is extremely limited because we live fixed in time. God doesn’t dwell in time, He lives in eternity and sees the past, the present and the future as one. God knew that both David and Paul had pure hearts and only wanted to please Him but He had other things for them to do; He had other plans and other times in mind and so He said “no.”
2. God will say “no” because He has our best interests at heart: “When you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure” (James 4:3). Asking, knocking, seeking—and God says “no.” God understands why we ask for what we do and to the impure motive He will answer in the negative. God constantly watches out for us. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come because He knows that it would take us in the wrong direction…so grow up and get over it!
3. Sometimes God will say “no” because He is a loving and good parent. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11). This passage is a comparison between us, the natural parent, and God, the perfect parent. Good parents will not say “yes” to everything their child asks for. That kind of thinking produces spoiled and immature adults who treat God as if He is a slot machine and they are going to win a prize every time they put money in the slot. God is very much into helping people mature, and mature believers have learned how to respond with grace when the answer is “no.”
God loves us so deeply and cares for us so much that sometimes He will say “no.” How we respond is indicative of how spiritually grown-up we are.
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